GEORGE TOWN, Sept 26 – A total of 32 candidates have withdrawn their nominations for the UMNO October election during the 72-hour cooling off period.
Penang UMNO state liaison secretary Datuk Musa Sheikh Fadzir said this brought the total number of candidates contesting to 1,924.
“However, it is not the confirmed figure as the candidates have to go through the final screening for criminal activities and bankruptcy at the central level,” he told a press conference in George Town Thursday, also attended by the state UMNO Selection Committee chairman Datuk Daud Taha.
Musa noted that seven nominations were rejected on the basis that their membership had been suspended for various reasons, among them for sabotaging the party at the 13th General Election.
The seven include, former Penang deputy chief minister Datuk Abd Rashid Abdullah who is contesting for Nibong Tebal division chief and former Sungai Dua state assemblyman Datuk Jasmin Mohamed (Tasek Gelugor division chief).
The rest are Dr Md Rozi Yusof (Tasek Gelugor deputy division chief); Mahamad Tahir Yusof (Tasek Gelugor division permanent chairman); Salmah Ahmad, Azmidy Mohamd and Rahim Che Noor contesting for the post of Tasek Gelugor division committee members.
Musa said that the UMNO Disciplinary Board was still investigating the seven individuals.
“According to a letter dated Sept 20 I received, they have lost their eligibility as UMNO members. They cannot contest for any post until the investigation is completed,” he said.
-BERNAMA
