KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 11 — Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said confirmed news reports today that she will stay out of the coming Wanita Umno race.

The Pengerang MP, who is said to be the most credible contender to incumbent Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abd Jalil, reportedly confirmed her withdrawal when contacted by English daily, The Star, today.

“Yes, it is true that I’m withdrawing from the race,” she said, according to The Star Online.

On the Facebook page “Azalina Othman Said for Wanita UMNO”, which was set up in July this year presumably in conjunction with her contest bid, the former Puteri Umno chief said she made her decision from the “advice” she received.

“Kpd semua kawan2, keputusan atas dinasihati. Tq,” she wrote.

[Translation: To all my friends, decision made as advised. Thank you]

According to several media reports yesterday, Azalina was advised to stay out of the Wanita Umno race by top party leaders concerned that her contest would affect unity in the wing, which is seen as the backbone of the ruling Umno.

Quoting a source close to the former minister, news portal The Malaysian Insider said that Azalina’s sudden decision came “after she was advised to do so” while English daily The Star, citing an insider from her campaign team, reported that the move came after a discussion with top party leaders.

“Sources said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had also advised Azalina to reconsider her decision to take on Shahrizat. There was concern that the contest may unsettle the wing, which is seen as the backbone of Umno,” the newspaper said.

The Star further reported that Azalina would instead gun for an Umno supreme council post while the online news portal said her backing out from the race would secure her a senior post in the Wanita Umno wing and a leadership role in a government-linked company.

“She loves Umno. She is a party loyalist who listens to the party leadership. She is a fighter and ready to go for it but she wants to respect the advice they give her,” The Star quoted the source as saying.

In a text message to The Malay Mail Online yesterday, Azalina did not confirm the news reports but only said that an official statement on the matter will be made on September 20, a day before nominations open for posts in the Wanita, Youth and Puteri wings.

Azalina was the founding leader of Puteri Umno and is the incumbent Umno supreme council member elected from 2004 to 2009. She was appointed to sit in the highest decision-making body of the party by then Prime Minister and former Umno president, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

News reports claimed Najib would still want to maintain good relations with the tough Wanita leader and her decision to allow Shahrizat to defend her post without contest will see her offered the chance to lead a GLC.

The Malaysian Insider claimed the reason for this is mainly due to Najib having recently appointed Shahrizat as a special adviser on women affairs.

Observers believe Shahrizat’s new role in the ministry, which has a ministerial status, was given out of Najib’s need to secure much of the party’s women’s votes as he aims to ward off any possible challenge to his presidency in the upcoming party polls.

Azalina, who was the tourism minister under the Abdullah administration, had previously declared her desire to challenge Shahrizat, the former Women, Family and Community Development Minister in June this year.