Pengkalan Hulu assemblyperson Tajol Rosli Ghazali today announced that he would not be contesting in the coming 13th general election (GE13) after 35 years of being an elected representative.

Tajol Rosli, a former Perak menteri besar, made the announcement when debating on the Perak 2013 Budget at the state assembly sitting in Ipoh, today.

“I would like to take this opportunity to state that I will not be contesting in the coming elections. This is the last assembly sitting for me.

“As a normal human being, certainly I have weaknesses and have made errors. I humbly apologise if I have offended anyone in words or actions throughout the time I have been a member of this dewan (assembly),” he said.

mca perak media night tajol rosli 010209 04 Tajol Rosli, 68 ( right ), was appointed as Perak menteri besar on Dec 3, 1999 and held the post for two terms.

He first became an elected representative when he won the Kenering by-election in 1977 after defeating Ibrahim Singgeh from DAP. The seat had been vacated by his father, the late Mohd Ghazali Jawi.

Tajol Rosli relinquished his posts as Perak Umno liaison chief and Perak Barisan Nasional chairperson on Jan 29, 2009 and his post as Gerik Umno division chairperson on March 29, the same year.

“Now I am only an ordinary Umno member and because I am an ordinary member, Najib Abdul Razak (Umno president) has appointed me as chairperson of the Umno election committee for next year,” he said when met outside the assembly hall.

Asked whether there were those asking him not to retire from politics, he said: “I have made my decision. When we are no longer accepted by the people, I don’t think we should return.”

Asked about Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir’s administration as menteri besar, he said Zambry was the best person right now to helm the state government.

On Perak BN’s chances in the coming elections, Tajol Rosli believed the ruling coalition would retain Perak.

“I am confident BN will win here, but not by a big majority unless there’s a big wind of change. There are 34 seats that we (Umno) can win and hopefully with the other BN component parties contributing three or four seats, we will have a strong state government,” he said.

On Tajol Rosli’s decision not to contest, Zambry said he was an experienced leader after more than 30 years in politics, and that Umno members appreciated his guidance and leadership.

- Bernama