TAIPING - Umno grassroots members should not clash when selecting candidates for elections, especially the general elections, said the party's vice president Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani.
He emphasised that members should identify the best candidates, including young leaders with the spirit to engage with the community and the characteristics of Malay leadership, to ensure the party's victory.
"Do not fight, otherwise the decision will go to the central level and there is a high possibility they will choose the wrong candidate. If we are already fighting at the grassroots level, how can the community support us? This is what I stress," he told reporters after officiating Bukit Gantang Umno division's 36th Annual Delegates Meeting here today.
Johari added that candidate names should be submitted earlier to ensure they are well-known by the community.
Meanwhile, he said that Umno welcomes the return of former members, but they must follow the set procedures, including becoming an ordinary member even if they previously held a position in the party.
"To rejoin, they must pledge, 'I hereby vow that I will not repeat the act of party-hopping'," he said when asked about the status of Bukit Gantang Member of Parliament Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal.
Yesterday, Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Umno had received many applications from former members wanting to rejoin the party, and the matter would be referred to the Disciplinary Board to decide on their membership.
Syed Abu Hussin is among six Members of Parliament expelled from opposition party Bersatu for supporting Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. - BERNAMA