Wasn't Mukhriz an alternative candidate, retorts Hisham
"Wasn't his son an alternative? You have to ask Tun Dr Mahathir whether his son was not an alternative?"
This was Umno vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein response today when asked about former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's attack on Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak in an exclusive interview with wire service Reuters.
"Wasn't his son an alternative? You have to ask Tun Dr Mahathir whether his son was not an alternative?"
This was Umno vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein (left) response today when asked about former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's attack on Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak in an exclusive interview with wire service Reuters.
Mahathir had said Umno found it unable to reject Najib simply because there are really no other candidates... "The result is they continue to support him (Najib) despite his poor performance," Mahathir said.
Hishammuddin said the losers in the recent Umno election should not complain that the party was not open to change.
Speaking to reporters after sending off Malaysian troops on a United Nations mission to Lebanon, the defence minister, who scrapped through to retain his vice-presidency for a second term, said he disagreed with Mahathir’s comments.
In the recently concluded Umno elections, Hishammuddin narrowly beat Mukhriz Mahathir, getting 100 votes from the party's divisions, compared to Mukhriz's 91. Mukhriz had campaigned on a "dare to change" (berani berubah) slogan.
Among other barbs he made in the interview, Mahathir said maintaining the status quo in the Umno hierarchy would hasten the party’s demise after 56 years in power.
He then went on to blame Najib for adding to Malaysia’s debt burden with pre-election handouts, and criticised his economic development programmes for lacking credibility.
Hishammuddin asked all party members to close ranks and respect the decision of the majority, especially since the party’s voting electorate was super-sized this year.
“The status quo is not decided by just anybody but is the choice of the majority of the Umno delegates... Respect that decision. It will only make Umno stronger,” he said.
He added that it was not infighting that will make Umno strong, but Umno together fighting political enemies.
When asked if he was unhappy with the lesser votes for him this time around, Hishammudin said that it did not matter.
“Happy or not... I am still there,” he said.
“It depends on the situation. Next time around, it might be different... Basically, I want to look ahead.”
In the recently- concluded elections, all incumbent heads of Umno from the president to Umno Youth and Wanita chiefs stayed in power even though a new electoral system was introduced and more candidates jostled for positions.
‘Back BN in Sungai Limau’
He said Umno leaders should now be throwing their weight behind the BN’s candidate in the Sungai Limau by-election.
On that front, Hishammuddin said BN has found a capable and qualified candidate in former UPSI lecturer Ahmad Sohaimi Lazim.
“On paper, our candidate is more than qualified but stage flair is not enough... the deciding factor is the voters,” he said, stopping short of predicting BN’s chances in the constituency which has backed PAS since 1995.
Hishammuddin was speaking to reporters at a ceremony to send of the first batch of Malaysian Battalion MALBATT 850-1 to Lebanon. The troops will serve under the UN interim force in Lebanon.
The battalion will replace the previous group which ends their tour of duty in October after a year.
In total, Malaysia will send a total of 540 soldiers to serve under MALBATT 850-1 .
Malaysia has been part of the UN’s peacekeeping force in the previously war-torn country since 2008.
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