BAGAN DATUK: Umno maintains its decision to name the party's vice-president, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, as the 10th prime minister candidate for the 15th General Election (GE15).
Its president, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, said the power to appoint the prime minister, however, lies with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, as stipulated in Article 43(2)(a) of the Federal Constitution.
"We hold on to our principle that Umno has nominated Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob as the prime minister candidate and that cannot be disputed. However, the power to appoint (the prime minister lies with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
"The Agong shall appoint a member of parliament whom His Majesty believes command the majority support of his peers as prime minister to preside over the cabinet," he said during a press conference after opening the Bagan Datuk Umno division meeting at Dewan Perdana in the Bagan Datuk Umno Complex, here, today.
He said if the opposition was of the opinion Umno has another candidate for PM, then it was just an effort to divide Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN).
He was commenting on the decision of several Umno divisions naming Ismail Sabri as the prime minister candidate for BN, while the opposition, especially Pakatan Harapan (PH), claimed that Zahid would become prime minister if BN wins GE15.
When asked about Mohamed Tawfik, the eldest son of former deputy prime minister the late Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman, who expressed his intention to contest the Bagan Datuk seat in GE15, Zahid said he welcomed anyone to contest in the constituency as the country practised democracy.
Zahid, who is a five-term member of parliament, said it was up to the voters in Bagan Datuk to make the best choice.
BobAxelrod
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2022-10-17 08:43