Muhammad: I should have won...
Nash RahmanPublished: Sep 29, 2004 9:59 AM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 10:21 AM
Former Umno vice-president Muhammad Muhd Taib feels that he should have retained his post in the party polls last Thursday, based on support for him and his services to the party.
Former Umno vice-president Muhammad Muhd Taib feels that he should have retained his post in the party polls last Thursday, based on support for him and his services to the party.
"I do not know what the delegates' criteria were... I hope what I have heard (about money politics) is not true... because if it is, it will threaten Umno," he said when contacted today.
Muhammad, who had been a vice-president for three terms since 1993, failed to defend his post after managing to get only 1,177 votes, which placed him fourth, 57 votes behind Muhyiddin Yasin.
Muhyiddin, who is also the minister of agriculture and agro-based industry, was third with 1,234 votes.
Federal Terrirtory Minister Mohd Isa Samad and Malacca Chief Minister Mohd Ali Rustam were placed first and second respectively. Isa secured 1,507 votes, and Mohd Ali, 1,329.
Three other candidates who vied for the vice-presidency were Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mustapa Mohamed (1,059 votes), Pahang Menteri Besar Adnan Yaakob (690) and Johor Baru MP Shahrir Samad (651).
According to Muhammad, the results of the party polls showed that those who should have been 'rewarded' for their services were not picked, while others who did not deserve to be 'rewarded' were instead elected.
"I myself cannot understand what criteria the delegates used to pick their leaders. If it was based on excellent service to the party, I have done my best... under normal conditions, I should have been picked.... but now, I do not know what criteria were used in the polls," he said.
He said he accepted the outcome because there are winners and losers in any contest, but noted that there has been a lot of talk about vote-buying involving candidates.
"I hope that is not true... if it is, then it represents something which is most sad and unfortunate for Umno, because such a trend will threaten the party and also result in people being no longer comfortable to stand for party posts.
"I do not have proof, but there were so many people talking (about money politics)... that this is difficult not to believe...
"As I have already mentioned, I am loyal to the party... I was always been on the frontline and have scored many goals... but when it came to this stage (the party polls), others were rewarded...."
'Independent candidates'
Asked about allegations that money politics during the recent polls campaign largely involved 'G7 delegates', Muhammad said the likelihood exists because they had been considered independent delegates.
"Perhaps because the G7 delegates are not committee members of Umno divisions, they are free to act... if they held posts at the divisional level, it would have been easy to detect them...," he said.
Approximately 2,500 delegates to the Umno general assembly were from Group 6 and Group 7, dubbed G6 and G7.
The G6 delegates are those who are the head, deputy head and vice-head of each division together with the heads of the Youth, Wanita and Puteri wings. The G7 delegates are the seven delegates from each division picked during the divisional annual assemblies last July.
"If the talk is true, then it is most disappointing because the criteria for selection of the party's leadership is no longer based on the influence and service record of someone, but on how much money is offered... most unfortunate...," he added.
When asked if a 'MBs Club' had existed during the polls, in particular for election to supreme council (SC) seats, Muhammad said his observations were to the contrary.
He said that based on the results, Kedah Menteri Besar Syed Razak Syed Zin and Johor Menteri Besar Abdul Ghani Othman were placed 16th and 17th respectively, out of the 25 winners of SC seats.
Syed Razak obtained 1,471 votes while Abdul Ghani secured 1,466. Selangor Menteri Besar Selangor Dr Mohd Khir Toyo, with 2,015 votes, had the highest number of votes.
"I do not know what the delegates' criteria were... I hope what I have heard (about money politics) is not true... because if it is, it will threaten Umno," he said when contacted today.
Muhammad, who had been a vice-president for three terms since 1993, failed to defend his post after managing to get only 1,177 votes, which placed him fourth, 57 votes behind Muhyiddin Yasin. Muhyiddin, who is also the minister of agriculture and agro-based industry, was third with 1,234 votes.
Federal Terrirtory Minister Mohd Isa Samad and Malacca Chief Minister Mohd Ali Rustam were placed first and second respectively. Isa secured 1,507 votes, and Mohd Ali, 1,329.
Three other candidates who vied for the vice-presidency were Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mustapa Mohamed (1,059 votes), Pahang Menteri Besar Adnan Yaakob (690) and Johor Baru MP Shahrir Samad (651).
According to Muhammad, the results of the party polls showed that those who should have been 'rewarded' for their services were not picked, while others who did not deserve to be 'rewarded' were instead elected.
"I myself cannot understand what criteria the delegates used to pick their leaders. If it was based on excellent service to the party, I have done my best... under normal conditions, I should have been picked.... but now, I do not know what criteria were used in the polls," he said. He said he accepted the outcome because there are winners and losers in any contest, but noted that there has been a lot of talk about vote-buying involving candidates.
"I hope that is not true... if it is, then it represents something which is most sad and unfortunate for Umno, because such a trend will threaten the party and also result in people being no longer comfortable to stand for party posts.
"I do not have proof, but there were so many people talking (about money politics)... that this is difficult not to believe...
"As I have already mentioned, I am loyal to the party... I was always been on the frontline and have scored many goals... but when it came to this stage (the party polls), others were rewarded...."
'Independent candidates'
Asked about allegations that money politics during the recent polls campaign largely involved 'G7 delegates', Muhammad said the likelihood exists because they had been considered independent delegates.
"Perhaps because the G7 delegates are not committee members of Umno divisions, they are free to act... if they held posts at the divisional level, it would have been easy to detect them...," he said. Approximately 2,500 delegates to the Umno general assembly were from Group 6 and Group 7, dubbed G6 and G7.
The G6 delegates are those who are the head, deputy head and vice-head of each division together with the heads of the Youth, Wanita and Puteri wings. The G7 delegates are the seven delegates from each division picked during the divisional annual assemblies last July.
"If the talk is true, then it is most disappointing because the criteria for selection of the party's leadership is no longer based on the influence and service record of someone, but on how much money is offered... most unfortunate...," he added.
When asked if a 'MBs Club' had existed during the polls, in particular for election to supreme council (SC) seats, Muhammad said his observations were to the contrary.
He said that based on the results, Kedah Menteri Besar Syed Razak Syed Zin and Johor Menteri Besar Abdul Ghani Othman were placed 16th and 17th respectively, out of the 25 winners of SC seats.
Syed Razak obtained 1,471 votes while Abdul Ghani secured 1,466. Selangor Menteri Besar Selangor Dr Mohd Khir Toyo, with 2,015 votes, had the highest number of votes.
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