.jpg "Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi delivers a speech at the 2021 Umno General Assembly at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur March 19, 2022. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Hari Anggara")
KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 — Following the recent Johor mentri besar fiasco, Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the party’s pick for prime minister would not be a strategy for the next general election (GE15).
During a press conference after delivering his winding-up speech for the Umno General Assembly this evening, he said this was because the final decision rests with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
“As you know, in Johor, our ‘poster boy’ was (Datuk) Hasni (Mohammad), and everyone is aware of what transpired,” he said.
“So for the general election, I don't think we will promote ‘a poster boy’ now, or even later, because it is up to His Majesty to decide (who becomes prime minister).
“Nonetheless, we will definitely discuss it among ourselves.”
When asked to reveal who would be Umno’s choice for prime minister, Ahmad Zahid said that any of the party’s top five leaders could be a candidate.
Umno’s top five leaders are Ahmad Zahid himself, Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin and Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid.
Last weekend’s Johor state election saw Umno and its coalition Barisan Nasional (BN) win in a landslide victory, laying claim to 40 of the state's 56 seats.
During campaigning, Hasni was presented by the party as its choice for mentri besar, but in a twist of events, Johor Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar chose Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi to lead the state instead.
This move initially drew ire from some factions within Umno, who felt Hasni should have been made mentri besar in return for his efforts in winning the state for the party.
Among this group was Umno veteran Tan Sri Shahrir Samad, who confessed to feeling “ashamed” that his party colleague who led BN to victory would not become mentri besar.
