KUALA LUMPUR: Quashing speculations about the delay in announcing the candidates contesting for Barisan Nasional in the 16th Johor state election, Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said the decision takes time.
"There have been many incorrect assumptions and speculations about the delay in announcing the Barisan candidates for the Johor state elections, which was supposed to start at 3pm but was postponed to 4.30pm.
"The delay was due to the party's candidate selection procedure.
"As part of the process, every candidate must be willing to remain loyal and not jump parties if they win.
"Then there is a strict screening, where we check candidates respective profiles in terms of bankruptcy, being free from any criminal cases, clearance from the Inland Revenue Board (IRB), the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Islamic Religious Department (to see if they are clear of issues related to Syariah offences)," the Umno secretary-general said in a statement on his official Facebook page on Wednesday (June 24) night.
He said every candidate must go through the process of signing several agreement documents and contracts in the presence of lawyers and a Commissioner for Oaths.
"The process that started at 10.30am was expected to finish at 2.30pm but continued until 4.00pm as it involved 56 Barisan candidates.
"On behalf of Umno and Barisan, I apologise to all supporters, party machinery and media friends who had to wait a long time to hear the official announcement from Johor Barisan chairman Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi," he said.
Barisan announced its list of candidates to contest in the 56 seats for the Johor state polls on Wednesday (June 24) ahead of nomination day this Saturday (June 27).
At least 19 of the Barisan Nasional candidates for the upcoming Johor state election are fresh faces, while 31 of the candidates fielded are incumbents.
