Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (Pak Lah), who will shortly be formally installed as Umno president, has reminded the candidates standing in the party polls next month not to use the Kuala Berang by-election to campaign for themselves.

He wants them to concentrate on helping the Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate, Mohd Zawawi Ismail. The prime minister does not want Umno members to be overconfident about retaining Kuala Berang.

Umno Deputy President Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has also made similar statements. The deputy prime minister warned Umno supporters that the mood of the electorate in the by-election may not be the same as during the last general election.

Ambitious Umno members who are eager to win a Youth Exco, Wanita, Supreme Council (SC} or vice-president positions should heed and abide by Pak Lah's reminder. They need to remind themselves that the top Umno leadership has already given them enough opportunities to campaign elsewhere.