Isa Samad quits Umno to contest in Port Dickson
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ISA Samad resigned from Umno three days ago to contest the Port Dickson by-election as an independent candidate.
The former Negri Sembilan menteri besar said he quit the party as the top leadership did not get his input on whether to boycott the polls.
“I have resigned as an Umno member because I want to contest. They (the leadership) also did not ask me if I wanted to contest,” he told a press conference late yesterday.
The former Teluk Kemang Umno chief was not approached by any top leader on his decision to leave the party.
The only real grouse he had with Barisan Nasional was that the party lost Negri Sembilan in the 14th general election, he said.
The former Jempol MP said he decided to throw his hat in the ring because he feels the people of Port Dickson deserve an MP they are familiar with instead of an outsider.
“The Malay votes are not divided. I leave it to them. I am offering myself in Port Dickson.
“I know the people here. I will try to help them. I have been serving them for more than 40 years.”
Isa was menteri besar for 22 years, between 1982 and 2004.
He was Linggi assemblyman for five terms, and also won the Bagan Pinang state seat in a by-election in 2009. Both seats are in the Port Dickson parliamentary constituency.
Isa was Felda chairman between 2010 and last year, but his tenure was blighted by investigations into allegedly dubious land deals and hotel purchases.
The Port Dickson seat, previously known as Teluk Kemang, fell vacant after Danyal Balagopal Abdullah gave it up to aid PKR president-elect Anwar Ibrahim’s attempt to return to Parliament.
While BN and Umno have boycotted the contest, PAS has named retired air force officer Lt-Col (rtd) Mohd Nazari Mokhtar as its candidate.
Parti Rakyat Malaysia and independent candidate Stevie Chan Keng Leng are the other contestants.
Nomination day is tomorrow. – September 28, 2018.
