PETALING JAYA: Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the suggestion that Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah be nominated as the Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate in the by-election for the Galas State Assembly seat will not degrade the Umno veteran.
“The question of degrading does not arise, what is important is that whoever is contesting will be entrusted to represent the voice of the people in the constituency contested.
“So, if Tengku Razaleigh stands for a State Assembly seat, he will serve the area that he will represent…it is an honour to whoever is contesting,” he said.
Last Saturday, Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat was reported as saying that the suggestion to nominate the Gua Musang MP as the BN candidate in Galas was inappropriate and described it as lowering Tengku Razaleigh’s dignity for standing at the State Assembly level.
Ismail Sabri said the PAS concern about Tengku Razaleigh’s leadership quality had prompted their leaders to make various assumptions aimed at preventing Umno from fielding Tengku Razaleigh as the BN candidate.
The Galas state seat fell vacant following the death of the incumbent Assemblyman, Chek Hashim Sulaima, 46, from PAS, on Sept 27 due to cancer.
The Election Commission has yet to set the date for the by-election. — Bernama