Umno leaders and members should not sulk if they are not selected as candidates for the general election.

This is because such an attitude would be detrimental to the party and themselves if Umno and BN were to lose, said Kedah Umno Liaison chairman Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah in Alor Setar.

He said the experience of Kedah Umno and BN in 2008 should be taken as a lesson when the coalition lost in the 12th general election because there were Umno leaders and members who were not selected who did not help the candidates chosen by the top leadership.

Winnable candidates

He said everyone would try to promote themselves as 'winnable candidates' but when the decision on the candidates had been made, they should accept the decision.

"This can happen to anyone including myself. Who knows, because this is the prerogative of the prime minister. Sometimes we feel we are the best and at times we feel we are sidelined, as though our contributions had not been appreciated. As party members, as party leaders, we cannot sulk.

"We say we are winnable candidates, but if the majority, the voters don't say so, then we won't win. If we don't say we are winnable candidates but the others say we are, that is even better. Let the voters speak, not us," he said.

He added that in Kedah, the opposition pact comprising PAS, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and the DAP which formed the government currently were not strong and as such, Umno and the BN must take the opportunity to win the 13th general election.

In this context, Ahmad Bashah said Kedah Umno and BN were continuously making efforts to woo the young voters and to show that this group was not sidelined including in terms of being selected as election candidates.

- Bernama