KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 20- Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil yesterday said there was no negotiation behind the scene between her and Datuk Seri Azalina Othman on the latter’s withdrawal from contesting for the movement’s top post.
“There was no meeting or delegation sent to persuade Azalina to withdraw from the election next month,” she said.
She described her relationship with Azalina, the former Puteri Umno chief, as amicable and that both of them were not that desperate to fight for the post.
Shahrizat emphasised that she and Azalina had their own vision and goal to strengthen Wanita Umno’s position and to struggle for the people’s interests.
“My relationship with Azalina is good…we’ve never drawn apart. She (Azalina) is like a sister. I’m not desperate and I’m sure she is also not desperate for the post,” she told a news conference, here, Thursday.
Shahrizat was responding to media reports that there were negotiations which caused Azalina to withdraw from contesting for the post.
“It makes me want to laugh because they make it out to be a mystery when there is actually nothing. Azalina is a forward-thinking politician and she can make her own decisions,” she said.
Previously, Azalina was reported as wanting to contest for the Wanita chief post but withdrew on Sept 10 to avoid division within the party.
Shahrizat said Wanita Umno would support Azalina should the Pengerang MP want to defend her Supreme Council member post.
“Wanita will support any woman contesting for a Supreme Council seat, including Azalina,” she added.
Shahrizat also said that Wanita Umno had a list of candidates who would be proposed to contest for Supreme Council seats, but the list would only be announced this Saturday.
– BERNAMA
