I’ll never go back to Umno, says PN’s Syazwani Noh

 

Nurul Syazwani Noh, seen here with her father Noh Omar on nomination day, said she had not given up hope that Umno would one day join forces with Bersatu and PAS. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: Nurul Syazwani Noh, the daughter of former Selangor Umno chief, Noh Omar, has no intention of returning to the party even if there is a change in its leadership.

Syazwani, who joined Bersatu in February, said she was content with charting her political journey with the Muhyiddin Yassin-led party for the foreseeable future.

“I have vowed to stay with Bersatu. If one day Umno’s leadership changes, I do not discount the possibility of Umno working together with Bersatu and PAS,” she told FMT.

She claimed that Umno’s grassroots were frustrated with the “marriage” between Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) after the last general election (GE15).

Her father, who was Tanjong Karang MP for six terms, was dropped by Umno in the polls last November. He was later expelled by party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in a move that was seen as a purge of party dissenters.

Perikatan Nasional’s Dr Zulkafperi Hanapi, from Bersatu, went on to win Noh’s Tanjong Karang seat with a 2,180-vote majority in GE15. He defeated BN’s Habibah Yusof in a five-cornered contest, which saw PH making room for a candidate from Muda.

However, according to the Election Commission, the total votes received by the Muda and BN candidates collectively were over 10,000 more than that obtained by Zulkafperi.

Syazwani said she was standing in the state elections because she felt indebted to the people of Tanjong Karang, who had supported her father throughout his political career.

“I feel the heavy burden on my shoulder as I carry his name. Tanjong Karang and Noh Omar are synonymous, so I do not want to tarnish his good name here,” the 35-year-old lawyer said.

Asked about her chances of winning Permatang, Syazwani said she was optimistic about snatching the seat held by PH and expects to benefit from a massive “swing vote” from frustrated Umno members.

Permatang is one of two state constituencies within Tanjong Karang and Syazwani is in a straight fight with PH’s Yahya Mat Sahri. - FMT