‘SMALL-FRY CANDIDATES ONLY AFTER CHEAP PUBLICITY’

They are promoting own interests, not Umno’s, says Bdr Tun Razak Umno chief

“SMALL fry” who nominate themselves to contest the post of Umno president are only after cheap publicity.

Bandar Tun Razak Umno chief Datuk Rizalman Mokhtar said such an action was only to promote their own interests and not those of Umno’s.

He said he was not aware of the decision by an Umno committee member in his division, Mohamed Iqbal Maricair, to contest the Umno presidency.

“If he loses, (he) will leave the party. Then, the media will focus on news that a former presidential candidate left the party.

“This is his strategy. He is just trying to enhance his value. I did not know he was going to contest. Suddenly, I got so many calls.”

He urged the media to focus on the three big names contesting the post of president — Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Tan Sri Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and Khairy Jamaluddin.

He said this was because they were more interesting and newsworthy compared with “small fry” candidates.

“These small-fry candidates are after cheap publicity.”

This is the first time in seven decades that the Umno president’s post has received many nominations with seven individuals vying for the position.

Apart from Iqbal, who is considered a “small-fry” candidate, the others are Mohd Yusof Musa@Jamaludin from Umno Iskandar Puteri division, and entrepreneur and blogger Rahmat Azim Abdul Aziz, popularly known as “Mat Umno”.

Another candidate is Rosile Saat, who is head of the Motosikal Ride for World #QuranHour convoy and chairman of Kajang Hospital’s Volunteers’ Club.