FT officials deny giving directive

Raja Nong Chik: It was just a suggestion

PETALING JAYA: Federal Territory (FT) Umno officials have denied that their delegates were issued with a directive to vote for the party’s three incumbent vice-presidents at the Oct 19 party elections.

FT Umno deputy chief Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin said the delegates at a gathering on Tuesday evening were merely asked to consider retaining Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamid, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal.

He said the “suggestion” was raised during the gathering by FT Umno chief Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor.

The three are being challenged by Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Paduka Mukhriz Mahathir and former Malacca chief minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam and former Negri Sembilan Mentri Besar Tan Sri Isa Samad.

Raja Nong Chik said there is nothing wrong with Tengku Adnan giving such a suggestion in his capacity as the FT Umno liaison committee chairman.

“This is because it is just a suggestion and it is the delegates who have the power to decide who they want to vote for,” he said yesterday.

An English daily yesterday reported that temperatures rose during the gathering after the delegates were issued with a directive to retain the three vice-presidents.

FT Umno secretary and Cheras division chief Datuk Seri Syed Ali Alhabshee said some delegates at the gathering did not agree with the suggestion but advised them to realise that it was not binding.

“In the past there have also been suggestions that the presidency and deputy presidency is not challenged, so this is not something which is extraordinary,” said Syed Ali.

An Umno FT member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Tengku Adnan had addressed the crowd in his capacity as the FT Umno chief and not as the party secretarygeneral.

“When he made that advice, no one objected. Those unhappy probably only talked about it among themselves later but not at the function,” he said.

The delegate also pointed out that this was not the first time Tengku Adnan had raised the issue of the party’s vice-presidency.

The vice-presidential three incumbents have said that they would work together to defend their positions at the party election but have denied forming an official pact.

The last time that vice-presidential candidates had a formal alliance was in the 1993 party elections.