PETALING JAYA: Despite being controversially dropped as election candidates, senior Umno leaders Tan Sri Annuar Musa, Tan Sri Noh Omar and Datuk Halimah Mohamed Sadique have chosen to remain loyal to the party.
Annuar, who was not fielded to defend his Ketereh parliamentary seat, admitted that he had received offers from other parties, including Perikatan Nasional, to defend his seat on their ticket but had rejected them.
Noh, meanwhile, said he had been shocked when he was told that he “was a traitor” to the party. He was disappointed that he was not properly informed of his exclusion.
Annuar, the Ketereh Umno chief, said the Perikatan candidate for the seat, Datuk Khlir Mohd Nor, was a friend and he would not stand in his way.
“I have told my friends and parties that wanted me to join them not to fight each other. It’s enough that Umno members are fighting over me.
“I don’t want to cause trouble to anyone,” he said after Kelantan Barisan candidates were presented letters of appointment for GE15 yesterday.
On his decision to stay loyal to Umno, he said: “Some say that there is still time to spring a surprise.
“I cannot join other parties. Not because I hate them, but it’s my principle.”
Annuar also said he would do his best to help the Barisan candidate for Ketereh, Marzuani Ardila Ariffin, to win the seat.
“Her late father was my supporter, her mother still supports me. Sometimes when she cooks a meal, she would even send some over to my house.
“These people gave me undivided support. They sacrificed for me. So, it’s time for me to return the favour,” he added.
Noh also said his Tanjung Karang seat must remain with the coalition although he had been dropped.
“No matter what, we must not lose this seat. Remember that. I may not be the candidate but it is my responsibility, along with all of you, to ensure that Tanjung Karang is Barisan’s (seat),” he said when launching the coalition’s election machinery.
In GE14, Tanjung Karang was the only parliamentary seat Barisan won in Selangor. The state has 22 parliamentary seats.
Noh said he had given five names from Tanjung Karang to Umno’s top five, including his.
“The top five first said that I would remain as the candidate but then, word got around that there was a change. I tried to meet with the president (Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi) but he was a busy man,” he told the crowd.
Noh eventually got to meet Ahmad Zahid and asked him to confirm the change in candidacy.
“I was accused of not following party orders and I was told I was a traitor to the party. I was shocked to hear the accusations.
“If I had had a heart ailment or high blood pressure, I would have fainted on hearing that ,” he said.
Noh, the Selangor Umno chief, said his disappointment was not at being excluded, but from the fact that he was not properly informed.
“I am disappointed that my contributions and sacrifices for the party were not appreciated by the president. Nevertheless, I am a party man and the struggle must go on,” he said.
Meanwhile, Halimah, who is Kota Tinggi parliamentary incumbent, said she had no plans to contest as an independent but would instead campaign for Barisan.
“I will go down to the ground and support those contesting under the Barisan ticket. We, the coalition women’s wing, have big hearts,” she said.