'Me lobbying as MB? No such thing' - Puad Zarkashi

JOHOR POLLS | Umno Supreme Council member Mohd Puad Zarkashi has dismissed Bersatu information chief Wan Saiful Wan Jan's allegation that he is gunning for the Johor menteri besar post should the party win the state polls.

Speaking to Malaysiakini this evening, the Rengit candidate said such an issue does not arise as the party has decided Hasni Mohammad's as its MB candidate.

Hasni is the Johor Umno chief and also the state's Menteri Besar before he dissolved the state legislative assembly in January that triggered the snap state election.

"There is no issue of me trying to lobby for the MB post. I had even told Hasni that if I win this seat, I do not want any post in the state government.

"So, if I do not even want to become an exco member, what more to be an MB?" he said.

Earlier today, Wan Saiful in a statement floated the idea that the faction aligned to Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi may harbour an agenda to install their own menteri besar candidate if BN wins in Johor.

Bypassing incumbent

This is alleged bypassing incumbent menteri besar Hasni Mohammad who is the Johor Umno chief.

According to Wan Saiful, the person of choice is Puad, who is a strong supporter of ex-prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, who has been convicted of money laundering, abuse of power and criminal breach of trust.

Puad regarded Wan Saiful's statement as an attempt to create discontent in Johor Umno.

He also lambasted the Bersatu leader, saying that what the latter said was slander and was done because Bersatu had run out of issues to use against Umno.

"Because he knows that their attempt to play up the issues of 1MDB and what they called as the 'court cluster' is not working in Johor," Puad said, referring to the label used by Umno rivals to describe its leaders who are currently facing criminal cases in court.

Puad said that instead of attacking him, Wan Saiful should have questioned his own party president Muhyiddin Yassin for continuing to put himself as the poster boy for Perikatan Nasional in the state election.

According to Puad, Muhyiddin should have been ashamed after his face could not help PN win in the recent Malacca state election and in Sabah. - Mkini