BN to field more young candidates in GE16

YOUNG candidates will be given priority in the 16th General Election (GE16), says Deputy Prime Minister Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Dr Ahmad Zahid, who is also Barisan Nasional chairman, said putting out young candidates was the way forward, as the move has proved to work well in the Nenggiri and Mahkota by-elections.

“We have no choice but to put out new and young candidates.

“Nenggiri and Mahkota (by-elections) prove that such a hypothesis works,” he said in a press conference after opening the Perak Barisan Nasional Convention in Ipoh on Sunday (Nov 24).

“With exposure to the grassroots, young candidates can give us victories.

“In Nenggiri, which we’ve never won and in a state which is not under the unity government, we can win if we bring in a game changer,” he added.

Ahmad Zahid had in his opening speech earlier said that Youth, Puteri and Wanita members would be given the priority to stand in GE16.

In Nenggiri, Kelantan Umno Youth chief Mohd Azmawi Fikri Abdul Ghani, 38, defeated Perikatan Nasional’s Mohd Rizwadi Ismail by a majority of 3,352 votes while Kluang Umno Youth chief Syed Hussein Syed Abdullah, 40, defeated Perikatan’s Mohamad Haizan Jaafar by a 20,648 majority in Mahkota.

Ahmad Zahid also said the move was not meant to deny the old guards.

He said there was still a need for a good combination between the young and old.

“We were also young once, as we were also given opportunities to be a candidate in elections,” he said.

He also said that discussion on seat allocations between parties in the unity government will only be held after the dissolution of Parliament and state assemblies.

“We have not discussed it yet. People can make their recommendations (for the candidates) and it will be up to the top leadership to make a decision about it,” he added.

 

BN kemuka lebih calon muda pada PRU16

CALON muda akan diberikan keutamaan pada pilihanraya ke-16, kata Timbalan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Beliau yang juga pengerusi Barisan Nasional berkata meminggirkan calon muda bukan lagi satu pendekatan baharu kerana mereka berjaya membuktikannya pada pilihanraya kecil DUN Nenggiri dan Mahkota.

“Kita tidak ada banyak pillihan kecuali memberi lebih banyak ruang kepada mereka.

“Nenggiri dan Mahkota sudah membuktikan keupayaan mereka,” katanya berucap merasmikan konvensyen Barisan Nasional peringkat negeri Perak di Ipoh, hari ini (24 Disember).

Beliau juga berkata, pendedahan hingga ke peringkat akar umbi mampu membantu kemenangan parti.

“Di Nenggiri, yang kita tak pernah menang dan dalam sebuah negeri yang bukan di bawah Kerajaan Perpaduan, kita menang kerana berani membawa perubahan yang disenangi rakyat,” katanya.

Oleh itu, kata presiden UMNO itu, calon Pemuda, Puteri dan Wanita akan diberikan lebih peluang pada PRU16.

Bagaimanapun, ia tidak bererti calon senior akan diketepikan.

Di Nenggiri, ketua Pemuda Kelantan Mohd Asmawi Fikri Abdul Ghani, 38, menewaskan calon Perikatan Nasional Mohd Rizwandi Ismail dengan majoriti 3,352 undi manakala di PRK Mahkota, ketua Pemuda Kluang Syed Hussein Syed Abdullah, 40, menewaskan calon PN Mohammad Haizan Jaafar dengan majoriti 20,648 undi.

 

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