LAHAD DATU: Lahad Datu assemblyman Datuk Haji Datu Nasrun Datu Mansur yesterday said that the proposal to choose a local from the district to be the next Umno candidate in the forthcoming general elections was not a personal decision of his but that of the majority of Silam Umno divisional committee members.
Datu Nasrun made the clarification in response to a press statement issued by a committee member of Silam Umno, Abdul Hakim Gulam Hassan, questioning the decision taken by the division to choose only locals to be the candidates in the next general elections.
“I am disappointed with the statement for it was made to look as if the decision was mine alone.
“It (the decision) was a majority decision of the Silam Umno division and not my personal decision.
“The proposal to stick with locals as candidates was suggested by Abdul Halim Haji Gulam Hassan, who is a committee member of Silam Umno division, and that proposal was well received by the rest of the committee members.
“After the decision has been made, why does Abdul Hakim question it? And he made it look as if the decision was made purely by me alone,” Datu Nasrun said.
Datu Nasrun who is also Silam Umno divisional head said, “the people in Lahad Datu have expressed their resolve that the development of the district could only be implemented effectively if their representative was a local, and ninety-nine per cent of people in this district have expressed their preference for a candidate in the next general election who is a local.”
He also said that Abdul Hakim’s statement represented the minority voice of frustration and his support in the divisional committee was too insignificant to alter the final decision taken at the meeting.
“We will accept whoever is the candidate to be chosen by the leadership for as long as that choice is based on the people’s voice,” Datu Nasrun remarked.
He also advised his committee members to get back into line and not to abandon the interests of the people over some personal interest promised of them by certain people.