JOHOR BARU: Umno has shot down speculation of disharmony within Barisan Nasional, with Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin saying such claims were spread by rival parties.
The Umno vice-president also rubbished claims that the party’s youth wing was boycotting the Barisan candidate for the Ayer Kuning by-election.
“Maybe those who wrote (those claims on social media) are from rival parties.
“There are no issues to play up so they just want to (create) disharmony in Barisan,” he said after launching a petrol station in Seri Alam here on Sunday (April 13).
“I was there during the nomination day, I saw everyone there from the Youth, Puteri and Wanita wings. It’s untrue that there is any boycott,” he added.
On Saturday (April 12), Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had also refuted claims that the party’s youth division was boycotting Barisan’s candidate for the Ayer Kuning polls, Dr Mohamad Yusri Bakir.
The Deputy Prime Minister said there was no issue as Mohamad Yusri had attended every meeting held at the state or divisional level and their machinery fully supported him as the candidate for the by-election.
There had been talk earlier that Umno Youth was unhappy with the choice of the candidate, as Perak Umno Youth had proposed Fahmi Ahmad Jakhisi as the candidate
The Ayer Kuning seat faces a three-cornered fight between Mohamad Yusri, Perikatan Nasional’s Abd Muhaimin Malek and KS Bawani of Parti Sosialis Malaysia.
Polling is set for April 26, while early voting is on April 22.
