The Malaysian Insight

SELANGOR Barisan Nasional (BN) will not be affected if former Umno leaders or candidates want to contest in the state elections under different parties, said state Umno Youth leader Mohd Imran Tamrin.

Imran said Umno is not intimidated by news that the party’s former big hitters are going to contest in the state polls.

He said this is only Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) psychological warfare.

Recently, sources revealed former Umno leaders may contest for PN, taking on their former party and Pakatan Harapan (PH). There were also reports of these former leaders pitting others against Umno.

Former Selangor Umno chief Noh Omar’s daughter Nurul Syazwani is among PN’s candidates.

Nurul Syazwani joined Bersatu after her father was sacked from Umno in January, and now leads Tanjung Karang Bersatu’s youth wing.

Yesterday, Noh said he would be standing in the polls as a PN candidate but did not say whether he would represent Bersatu or PAS.

Sources said former Umno Youth leader Khairy Jamaluddin, who was also sacked from Umno in January, is expected to run on a Bersatu ticket.

“This is the PN’s psychological war to create unrest that can affect unity in our party.

“This is because even leaders who were sacked have their followers and supporters,” Imran told The Malaysian Insight.

Imran, who is also Sungai Besar Umno Youth chief, said PN is deliberately using former Umno leaders’ names to attract the party’s grassroots supporters.

“Such rumours might affect our party members, but I feel it’s all just political talk,” he said.

He said Umno and Selangor BN will make preparations to ensure their candidates win.

“At the Tanjung Karang level, we cannot take it lightly because there is Noh’s influence here.

“He is no longer with the party because he was sacked, and his influence is not the same as when he was in the party. But it will provide significant competition and opposition to a certain extent against candidates who contest state seats in Tanjung Karang,” he said.

The Tanjung Karang parliamentary constituency has two state seats – Sungai Burong and Permatang.

Sungai Burong is represented by Mohd Shamsudin Lias from BN, while Permatang is represented by Rozana Zainal Abidin from PH.

Imran is confident Selangor Umno Youth’s machinery can overcome PN’s election strategies.

“Whoever contests in any Selangor state seat, Umno Youth will make sure our machinery is ready.

“Umno and BN are ready to face PN candidates in Selangor. What is most important is our work ethic,” he said.

He said he hopes voters see the big picture and maintain BN and PH in the state government as a reflection of the unity government in Putrajaya.

Former Perlis Umno leader Shahidan Kassim, who was also expelled from the party, is reportedly ready to contest in Selangor.

PAS Selangor however said Shahidan’s name was not on the short list of candidates for Selangor.

Shahidan contested on a PN ticket under PAS during the general election and helped the Islamist party take over Perlis, making it the fourth state to come under PAS rule after Kedah, Kelantan, and Terengganu. – May 1, 2023.