Mukhriz: Its getting tougher for me & Jitra Umno members want a change in Kepimpinan

UMNO Youth Exco and Jerlun MP Dato’ Mukhriz Mahathir admitted this morning that his chances vying for the UMNO Youth Head post is getting tougher and slimmer. The tide is turning against him as certain UMNO leaders are believed to have been inducing the ‘decision makers’ at the Division level with ‘money politics’ practices.

“If this practice is allowed to carry on and UMNO authorities did nothing to curb this, I don’t think I will get the necessary nominations”, commenting on the minimum 39 Division nominations requirement to qualify. “Places where the support for me is strong is now shaken as ‘special attention’ was focused on these places”.

“When I first started, my confidence level of achieving my set objectives is at 60-65%. Now, I am not so sure anymore because of these reason, only a miracle can get me in”, he further added.

Despite a strict code of ethics and conduct on campaigning was issued by UMNO Supreme Council on 27 March, the practice of ‘money politics’  and rampant ‘abuse of power/position’ is thought to be more intense.

The majority of Umno Jitra branch members have nominated  MT UMNO member Datuk Seri Utama Dr Rais Yatim and UMNO Vice Preisdent Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to contest the Umno president and deputy president post respectively. The members had also nominated incumbent Vice President Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad, MT UMNO members Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin and Datuk Shafie Apdal as vice presidents.

Jitra Umno branch deputy chairman Mukhriz Mahathir said the members had exercised their democratic right to have their say on who should lead the party.

“Although nominations at branch level are not official, it reflects the grassroots’ support for certain leaders.
“If more than 50% of the branches in a division nominate certain leaders, it should be reflected in the nomination list submitted by the respective division,’’ he said.

Mukhriz, who is also the Jerlun MP, said this after the Jitra Umno branch annual general meeting at Kubang Pasu Community Development Foundation premises yesterday.

Mukhriz said he was in the process of sending letters to all the 22,000 Umno branch in the country, requesting for the list of nominees for top five Umno posts and supreme council posts.

“The data would be used to gauge the actual sentiments on the grounds,’’ he added.

Jitra UMNO Branch was the former branch where former UMNO President Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad and his wife Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah Mohd. Ali were members till they decided to conditionally quit the party in May.