GE15: Once bitten twice the shy, Umno say no to "big headed opportunists"

SHAH ALAM - Having learnt its lesson from the betrayal of its own comrades after it lost the 14th General Election (GE14), Umno vowed that it will only field candidates that are not only loyal but also those who have no vested interest for the coming GE15.

Party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi assured members that the upper echelons -- which he called the ‘Top 5’ -- will not select “big headed leaders” with a penchant of chastising their own leadership.

“Anyone who is arrogant and thinks themselves greater than the party’s struggles should know their place. After the Parliament’s dissolution, there were some who had come to realise that they actually belonged to Umno.

“They know now that everything they enjoyed, including the positions they held was essentially by virtue of them being an Umno member, not because they represented the voice of Pribumi Bersatu or Pas or any other parties,” remarked Zahid in a statement today.

Zahid, the Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman, also stressed that loyalty to the party was a crucial criteria in order to ensure that the candidates would not be easily influenced by outsiders seeking to use them as proxies within Umno.

“We have learnt a valuable lesson after our defeat in GE14.

“When BN was tested, a horde of Umno leaders abandoned the party to save their own skin. Some jumped ship, betrayed Umno and there were also others who distanced themselves from Umno.

“It was a bitter moment but it was also a blessing in disguise. Umno was automatically cleansed off of these opportunists,” he added.