KUALA LUMPUR: Pointing out that he is the one who proposed Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob to be Prime Minister, Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi assures party members that he is not envious of the former.

       He said he had told all of Umno’s 43 lawmakers that the party would only suggest one name for the prime minister’s post, and that was Ismail Sabri’s.

       “I am not envious of Ismail Sabri.

       “In fact, I was the one who proposed that he be made Prime Minister,” he said at the conclusion of the Umno general assembly yesterday.

       In August last year, Umno withdrew its support for the Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin-led government, which resulted in his resignation.

       Ismail Sabri was sworn in as Prime Minister on Aug 21 last year.

       Ahmad Zahid said that since an Umno leader led the federal administration, many resolutions made by the party’s general assembly were approved by the government.

       “We are lucky that the Prime Minister is one of us and what we have asked from the government is meant to help the rakyat,” he said.

       Ahmad Zahid said his party was committed to fielding at least 70% of its candidates for GE15 with fresh faces as part of a game changer to attract voters to Umno and Barisan Nasional.

       “I have discussed this with the rest of Umno’s top five and we are determined to do this,” he said.

       Top five refers to the party president, deputy president and the three vice-presidents.

       Ahmad Zahid assured the party’s wings that there would be more candidates from the Youth, Wanita and Puteri movements for the next general election.

       “Division heads who are under 50 years of age and meet the ‘WALI’ criteria – winnable, likeable and acceptable – will also be considered for candidacy,” he said.

       Hinting that this may be the last Umno general assembly before the national polls, he said the party should be “ready for business”.

       “We should get ready to work hard to win the hearts and minds of the people. Our machinery must be well prepared and despite differences in views, we all must come together to ensure a strong win for Umno and Barisan,” he said.

       The Umno president also launched the party’s latest project known as Project 123.

       The project entails its plans to become a dominant party in the government as well as to lead at both state and federal levels.

       The third project is for Umno to set up a school of politics, which will be named the People’s Democratic Centre.