SEREMBAN: There is no better candidate for the country’s top job than the sitting prime minister, says Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
The Umno deputy president said the party had made the right decision in naming Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob as its poster boy for the next general election, adding that the decision also showed the maturity of party leaders and has effectively put an end to uncertainty over the matter.
“A sitting PM is surely the best candidate for poster boy.
“By naming him, we have closed all doors to speculation. The matter is now settled,” he told reporters after the opening of the state assembly sitting by Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir.
He said a decision had to be made as there had been talk of the party facing internal problems, and that it was finding it difficult to pick its leading candidate for the general election.
Mohamad, better known as Tok Mat, was among those in the running for the top job before the announcement.
“If we had delayed this, it will not be good for the party as people will keep asking questions.
“This decision also clearly shows the unity and maturity of the party leadership,” he said.
On April 14, party secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan said the party’s supreme council had unanimously decided to name Ismail Sabri as its prime ministerial candidate.
Mohamad, the Rantau assemblyman, said with the decision, the party could now focus on the general election.
“Since we have put our house in order, we are now more stable and will be able to better face the polls together.
“The party now has to resolve the external issues, and to do that, we need to come up with strategies to do well in the general election,” he said.
Separately, the Umno election director said he would be visiting all states after Ramadan to see their preparations for the coming general election.
Mohamad said the aim was to wrest back the seats Barisan Nasional lost in the last general election due to internal problems.