PONTIAN, Apr 17 – Allegation by PAN that Umno is naming Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob as the candidate for PM in the 15th general election as a scheme to hasten the election is not true, says Secretary-General Datuk Ahmad Maslan.

He said Umno as nothing up the sleeves since all parties deserve the right to name their PM candidate.

“It is our right (to name him), no trick no nothing, and the election can be called at anytime after the PM gets consent from The King,” he said here, last nite.

He was commenting on PAN’s Communication Director Khalid Samad who accused Umno of trying to dupe Ismail into an early Parliament dissolution.

Ahmad also rebuffed allegation that Umno will name someone as the PM but will give it to someone else after GE15, as had been the case in Johor when Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi became the mentri besar.

The party Supreme Council has recently appointed Onn Hafiz as its member while two others, namely Datuk Seri Razali Ibrahim holds the portfolio of Umno Graduates Alumni coordinator. Datuk Seri Sharkar Shamsudin was also made the coordinator for Umno Oversea Club.