The survey showing Mukhriz Mahathir as the favourite candidate for Kedah menteri besar was a good sign in BN’s bid to wrest the state from PAS control, said Kedah opposition leader Mahdzir Khalid.

“The components and ingredients of the survey are based on facts, involving all aspects and demographics of society,” said Mahdzir, who is also former Kedah menteri besar, in a SMS to Malaysiakini yesterday.

However he reminded that it was up to the PM to select the Kedah MB should BN win the state.

“BN needs to keep working hard; it umno supreme council special meeting 260809 mahdzir khalid cannot be complacent. The appointment of the MB’s post is the sole right of the PM. Before we talk about posts, a win must be the priority of BN leaders at all levels,” he said.

Mahdzir ( right ) was referring to a Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) survey across 36 state seats in the northern state that reportedly showed overwhelming support for Mukhriz, the son of former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad, for the MB’s post.

The survey predictably got the thumbs up of BN politicians but the disdain of incumbent PAS Menteri Besar Azizan Abdul Razak, who rubbished the survey.

Azizan slammed the academic who conducted the study for behaving more like “BN low-ranking leaders” than scholars who should be studying more pressing issues such as electoral fraud.

‘Don’t count chickens...’

Jerlun Umno division chief Abu Hassan Sharif and Sungai Petani Umno division head Firdaus Zakaria concurred with Mukhriz that the real focus should be on winning the state before discussing the candidate for MB.

However, they stressed that grassroots leaders should give their full cooperation to Mukhriz or Kedah Umno liaison chief Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah should either of them be chosen for the post.

According to the UUM study, Ahmad Bashah is the second most popular Umno candidate for the post of Kedah MB, followed by state Umno information chief and a minister in PM's Department Mohd Jamil Khir Baharom. Mahdzir himself is in fourth place.

When contacted, Abu Hassan said he hoped Kedah leaders would agree with the top leadership’s decision on the matter and avoid “infighting and thus destroying each other”.

            

“What is important is that we govern the state and give the best service we can to the people. This is our goal. We must cooperate to garner (the people’s) support,” he told Malaysiakini .

Meanwhile, Firdaus said the Mukhriz-Ahmad Bashah pair was a “good team” to lead Kedah, pointing out that Jamil and Mahdzir were more “capable and suitable” to be placed in Parliament or federal government.

Pokok Sena Umno division chief Ahmad Lebai repeatedly stressed that BN candidates had to win their seats first, before they can even aspire to be menteri besar.

“Focus on the election first. Let the MB candidates be determined later by the leadership,” he said.