Selangor Umno liaison committee deputy chairperson Noh Omar has dismissed a claim that the state Umno was split, with one faction led by him, and the other by former menteri besar Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo.

noh omar He said the claim made by Seri Muda assemblyman Shuhaimi Shafiei of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) was aimed at diverting the people's attention from the pposition's internal crisis.

"Actually, the state PAS is saddled with two camps, led by PAS state commissioner Dr Hasan Mohamed Ali and Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad,

respectively.

"Even Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim is embroiled in a crisis in his PKR Ijok branch," Noh told reporters after holding a dialogue with the

Selangor Single Mothers Association in Shah Alam.

Noh, who is also agriculture and agro-based industry minister, said Dr Khir was his close friend, adding that he (Noh) had brought him into politics and supported his appointment as menteri besar in 2000.

khir toyo "After Dr Khir became the menteri besar, I made way for him to be Tanjung Karang Umno division chief in 2001, although I was then the division's deputy chief. Dr Khir was then the division's Youth chief.

"We always have discussions. After all, we come from the same village,

Sungai Burong. There is no reason why we should quarrel with each other," reasoned Noh.

- Bernama