GE14: 40 Pct Of Penang UMNO Candidates New Faces
GEORGE TOWN, Jan 23 (Bernama) -- Penang UMNO is expected to field 40 per cent new faces from the younger generation as candidates for 14th general election, said its chief Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Osman.
He said that there was also the possibility of one Member of Parliament contesting a state seat while an assemblyman would go for a parliamentary seat.
"Penang UMNO is expecting some of our candidates to be new faces and maybe a swap between an incumbent MP and and incumbent assemblyman.
"However, the final decision in in the hands of party president and Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak," he told reporters after a meeting between him as the Penang Federal Action Council Chairman and heads of Penang Federal Departments and Agencies here today.
Asked about the list of candidates, Zainal Abidin said Penang UMNO had submitted five names to the BN chairman for each parliamentary and state seat it would be contesting.
"We submitted the names of candidates who were the choice of voters in their areas and have received three names that have been shortlisted Najib, who is also Prime Minister.
"We are still vetting the three names, the candidates will be chosen when Parliament is dissolved. This means that nobody has been confirmed as a candidate, it is not finalised, the three candidates are still being vetted," he said.
He said Penang UMNO would still contest in 15 state and five parliamentary seats in GE14.
Penang has 40 state and 13 parliamentary seats. During the last general election, BN won 10 state and three parliamentary seats, all of which UMNO contested.
"As of now, Penang UMNO will continue to contest in the areas we previously represented while other seats will be contested by BN component parties. I think most of these seats will be contested by the same parties," he said.
-- BERNAMA
