Sunday, February 22, 2009

Jamaludin Jarjis pulls out of Umno V-P race

KUALA LUMPUR: Former minister Datuk Seri Dr Jamaludin Jarjis has dropped out of the race for one of the three vice-president's posts in Umno.

He has instead decided to contest a seat in the party's supreme council, saying that he was confident he could still help bring changes to the party.

Explaining that it was a last-minute decision, Jamaludin Jarjis said he had never intended to run for vice-president in the first place.

"I had never offered myself for vice-president. It was the divisions which nominated me."

I wanted to listen to the grassroots but in the end I feel that as a regular supreme council member, I can still bring the changes that I want," Jamaludin Jarjis told the New Sunday Times.
Jamaludin Jarjis had not returned the acceptance form to Umno headquarters that would have confirmed him as a vice-president candidate in the party's polls next month. He instead filed a form to contest for one of the 25 seats in the supreme council.

Jamaludin Jarjis thanked the divisions that gave him the 20 nominations that qualified him to contest for vice-president and wished the eight other candidates luck.

"Umno must aspire to realise the dreams of all Malaysians and it is in a position to do that because of its role in Barisan Nasional.

"What is most important is that the delegates at the assembly choose the right mix of leaders who can bring these changes," Jamaludin Jarjis said.

His withdrawal was the major surprise as Umno closed its nomination process on Friday night as almost all leaders who garnered the requisite number of nominations confirmed their candidacies.

Another leader who declined to contest despite getting enough nominations was Penang Puteri Umno chief Azlina Mehtab Mohd Ishaq, who was given the thumbs-up by 10 Puteri divisions which wanted her to run for the movement's top post.

Contenders for Puteri Umno chief need only two division nominations to qualify.
Kimanis MP Datuk Anifah Aman also decided not to contest a seat in the supreme council despite getting 28 nominations.

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