GE14: Perlis UMNO Strongly Rejects 'Parachute Candidates'
ARAU, July 9 (Bernama) -- Perlis UMNO will strongly reject candidates who are being parachuted in at the very last minute to represent the party at the 14th general election, its Liaison Committee chairman Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim said.
He said the move to field such 'parachute candidates' was unfair for the existing party leaders who had worked hard and spent their time and energy for the party.
"I want to stress that Perlis will strongly reject and ban 'parachute candidates'. We don't want candidates who only show their faces to the voters when the general election is just around the corner. We have worked hard for the party and no one should be parachuted in to take over our place. How can we win like that?"
"We want candidates who can ensure victory and not to become burden for the party. Many people can criticise, but little can do the job," he told reporters at the Arau Wanita UMNO's Aidilfitri do in Kubang Gajah here today.
Shahidan said that the party's candidates must be introduced early to the people and must also be hardworking and have high respect for the senior leaders.
"I target a 100 per cent victory for UMNO in Perlis by winning all the three parliamentary seats and retaining the 13 states seats while wresting back two state seats from the opposition," he said.
On the attacks and criticism hurled at UMNO president Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Razak, he said each UMNO leader should be able to counter attack and not just keeping silence.
"When people attack and criticise our president, they attack our party. It is not personal anymore. We must counter attack. We must know when it is personal and when it involves the party," he said.
On women candidates, Shahidan said Perlis UMNO was prepared to give opportunity to more women to be fielded as candidates at the GE14, but it was up to the party president to make the final call.
-- BERNAMA
