Mahdzir: Umno eyeing seats in upcoming Kedah poll

 

Umno has identified the state seats in Kedah that the party intends to contest in the upcoming state polls, said its vice-president Mahdzir Khalid.

Declining to reveal the number, he said the final decision on the matter will be decided by the Pakatan Harapan-BN committee, which will meet on March 19.

Mahdzir (above), who was appointed as a “foster father” to lead the party’s work in Kedah by Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, said Umno had held internal discussions regarding the matter.

“We have held meetings at the Umno level ourselves several times and also with BN at the state level besides informal meetings with leaders from Harapan.

“These are unofficial discussions because we are waiting for the final decision from the Harapan-BN parent committee at the national level,” he said when met by reporters after checking on Padang Terap Umno Division’s Wanita and Puteri wings delegates meetings today.

Asked about rumours that he will be contesting in the state polls, the Padang Terap Umno division chief, who is also a former Kedah menteri besar, refused to comment and described it as a personal matter.

Meanwhile, in Machang, Kelantan Umno chief Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub said they would discuss seat distribution for the state polls once Umno elections were over.

“In Kelantan, we think it is better to let the party elections at the divisional level be completed first because when they are over, the new leadership lineup of Umno at the state level will of course be formed.

“So far, there has been no decision, including on who will be candidates, and when the distribution of seats is settled, we will sit down to discuss at the state leadership level before submitting a proposal to the Umno president,” he told reporters when met at Pusat Transformasi Ilmu, Bukit Tiu.

Commenting further, Jazlan said that after the party's elections were over, Kelantan Umno will focus on strengthening its machinery to face the state polls.

- Bernama