GE14 | Batu Pahat Umno chief Mohd Puad Zarkashi says some last-minute advice had prompted him to abort his plans to contest as an independent candidate for the Batu Pahat parliamentary seat.

Instead, he decided to attend his daughter's wedding ceremony on the groom's side in Johor Bahru.

He also vowed to continue fighting a broken system being used by irresponsible leaders.

In a Facebook posting today, Puad said while many will mock him for not contesting as an independent, he will keep his reason not to contest a secret.

However, he did say that many had advised him against the move.

"I took into account some of the views at the last minute, which changed my stance.

"I am confident that after the general election, the political landscape, especially in Johor, will change.

"As such they want me to reconsider, rise together 'until I win' and 'until to the last drop' (sic)," he said.

The 61-year-old was widely speculated to contest as an independent after Umno fielded Batu Pahat Wanita chief Haliza Abdullah instead.

He had also resigned from his post as Special Affairs Department (Jasa) chief.

Puad said prior to his decision not to contest, his wife and daughter were prepared for him to give today's wedding ceremony a miss.

"Clearly family is everything. They understand better. They and God most compassionate are my last bastion," he said.

He then thanked all his supporters, and that the challenges he faced only made him bolder.

"All this has encouraged me to fight a broken system hijacked by some irresponsible leaders.

"None can frighten me except God," he said.

Puad had on Thursday accused Johor BN chief Mohamed Khaled Nordin of practising cronyism in selecting candidates.

In the last general election, Puad suffered a shock defeat when he lost the seat to PKR's Mohd Idris bin Jusi by a 1,732-vote majority.