Langkawi UMNO Secretary made a unilateral statement

In reaction to articles published in mainstream media this morning about UMNO Youth Exco Dato’ Mukhriz Mahathir contesting in Langkawi parliamentary seat this XII General Elections, Langkawi UMNO Secretary Mohd. Saiful Mustaffa made a unilateral statement against Mukhriz’s nomination in the island resort representing BN.

Bernama.com has this story:

18 Februari, 2008 17:01 PM

UMNO Langkawi Tolak Mukhriz

LANGKAWI, 18 Feb (Bernama) — UMNO Bahagian Langkawi enggan menerima jika Datuk Mukhtir Tun Dr. Mahathir bertanding bagi kerusi Parlimen Langkawi dalam pilihan raya 8 Mac ini sejajar dengan keputusan mesyuarat bahagian itu pada 12 Feb lepas menolak calon dari luar.

Setiausaha bahagian itu, Mohd Saiful Mustafa berkata dalam satu kenyataan bahawa UMNO Bahagian Langkawi berpendapat Mukhriz bukan anak tempatan Langkawi dan tidak menganggotai Jawatankuasa UMNO Bahagian itu.

Mukhriz dilaporkan oleh akhbar sebagai berkata jika diberi peluang, beliau sedia bertanding bagi kerusi Parlimen Langkawi dalam pilihan raya umum 8 Mac ini.

Mohd Saiful berkata majoriti masyarakat di Langkawi mahukan penyandang Datuk Paduka Abu Bakar Taib sekali lagi dipilih untuk bertanding bagi kerusi itu berdasarkan kepada prestasi perkhidmatan beliau.

Katanya 85 daripada 91 cawangan UMNO di Langkawi menyokong supaya Abu Bakar dikekalkan.

— BERNAMA

The truth is far from what it seemed. In the Langkawi UMNO Division Exco Meeting last week, they only decided by simple majority and urged Kedah UMNO Liaison to nominate a local as their candidate for the XII GE. They definitely did not decide to nominate Dato’ Abu Bakar Taib, for his fourth term, nor did they reject Dato’ Mukhriz’s name as a possible candidate to replace Bakar.

A Langkawi UMNO Division Exco Maton Mahmud, who is also Sg. Itau UMNO Branch Head said Saiful’s statement was his personal opinion and not reflective of Langkawi UMNO Division’s stance and definitely not representative of the Langkawi voters’ opinion as well. In fact, generally Langkawi folks are very appreciative and grateful of what former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad did for Langkawi and transformed the once agriculture-based-back-water-boondocks into a globally known tourist destination, with world class resorts. It is obvious now they want Mukhriz continue what his father started and tirelessly worked on, and represent them, at national and international level.

He and another UMNO Langkawi Division Exco Ismail “Cikgu Man” Yaacob, who was also former ADUN Kuah, sffirmed that BN component parties; MCA, MIC and Gerakan, had endorsed Mukhriz’s nomination as the BN candidate for Langkawi. Both were privy to last week’s UMNO Langkawi Division Exco Meeting.

It was said that Saiful tried to organize a petition for the 91 UMNO Branch Heads to protest against Kedah UMNO Liaison’s decision to nominate Dato’ Mukhriz as the Langkawi BN candidate to UMNO top leadership, for a final consideration and decision. However he gravely failed to get majority of the Langkawi UMNO Branch Heads’ co-operation and consideration. At the moment, so many people on the ground talk about Dato’ Mukhriz being nominated as the Langkawi BN candidate.

This latest statement by Saiful is a mark of desperation, to reverse the “final list”, which is expected to be announced by Kedah BN Liaison Chairman Dato’ Seri Mahadzir Khalid in two or three days time. Each BN candidate will receive their letter of appointment as candidate on Friday afternoon, two days before nomination day.

*An update as of Tuesday, 9.30am 19 February 2008

Several Langkawi UMNO Division Excos, who were present at the meeting last week and now detest Division Secretary Saiful Mustaffa’s unilateral statement to Bernama yesterday, will be holding a media conference this morning in Kuah.