KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 23 — Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, who will be defending the Wanita Umno chief’s post in the coming Umno elections next month, has defended the capability and performance of the women’s wing, while parrying attempts to ridicule it.

She said Wanita Umno’s performance could not be denied as the movement was also the backbone of the strength and victory of Umno and Barisan Nasional at the 13th General Election. The wing at present was more united and strong and, as such, coveted by many.

“We are not paper tiger. Just giving talks, giving rhetorics. We won on the ground. I want to challenge anyone who can question this. We are a grassroots movement,” Shahrizat told reporters at her office in Menara Datuk Onn here today.

She had been asked to comment on a statement of her challenger, Datuk Maznah Mazlan, that her decision to enter the contest for Wanita chief was to strengthen the wing so that it would become respected, and not ridiculed by anyone.

“What is there to ridicule? The person questioning this has not gone down to the field to attend Wanita programmes,” she said.

Shahrizat said she took over the movement from Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz in 2009 when the national political environment was tense. After four years of helming the wing, Wanita Umno had become more united and at a level to be proud of, she said. — Bernama