She is defending her Wanita Umno head post but incumbent Rafidah Aziz is giving priority to the forthcoming by-elections in Perak and Kedah.

Rafidah Aziz wants members of the movement to forget temporarily the campaign for the party election in March and instead concentrate on the campaign for the by-elections in Bukit Gantang in Perak and Bukit Selambau in Kedah.

"To me, they (the by-elections) are priority, and I've switched off my mind on the contest for party post and I'm focusing on the contests for the two by-elections," she told reporters after chairing the Wanita Umno exco meeting in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

rafidah and shahrizat wanita umno 211108 02 For the party polls next month, Rafidah will be challenged by her deputy Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.

The veteran Wanita leader said the campaign or the party election should not be 'too extreme' to the extent that members were 'not talking to their rivals'.

On the challenge for the top Wanita post, Rafidah said she was not concerned about the challenge because the election was being held every three years.

Win back support

What was of greater concern to her was the political developments in the country, she said.

"I am concerned about Barisan Nasional, concerned about Umno, we seem to be losing ground everywhere. It is about how to win back grassroots support and how to convince young people that Barisan Nasional will eventually be responsible for the future of this country," she told reporters.

She also said that it was not fair to link a particular leader with certain candidates in the election.

Rafidah said the meeting today was called specifically to discuss preparations for the two by-elections.

She also commented on the political crisis in Perak which was getting worse.

“Wanita Umno decided to condemn the actions of the opposition leaders headed by former Perak menteri besar Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin "who was being disrespectful to the Sultan of Perak and breached the state constitution," added Rafidah.