Maybe Anwar wants to be Umno president, quips Mat Hasan

RANTAU POLLS | Acting Umno president Mohamad Hasan today joked that Anwar Ibrahim may be eyeing the top post in his party.

This was in response to Anwar remarking yesterday that Mohamad was unlikely to officially be made the president of Umno.

"I think he wants us to reserve that place (Umno presidency) for him," he told reporters on the campaign trail for the Rantau by-election, though quickly adding he was merely joking.

Anwar had said his remarks were based on his own experience of being the former deputy president and acting president of Umno.

Mohamad had taken over the duties of party chief Ahmad Zahid Hamidi when the latter went on garden leave last December.

Mohamad, BN's Rantau candidate, said he was not aiming for the Umno presidency and his focus was on strengthening the party and preparing it for the next general election.

Meanwhile, he was nonchalant about Anwar's claims that Umno leaders were meeting him as "insurance" ahead of him becoming prime minister.

He said in politics, it was not unusual for "frogs" to seek such insurance and as such was not surprised by Anwar's claims.

"Luckily I didn't meet him. I want to meet him for tea, (but) then he would say that Mat Hasan also met him and wants to join PKR," Mohamad said with a smile. - Mkini