JERLUN: Jerlun Umno division is intact with all branches remaining loyal despite the state leadership crisis following the sacking of Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir as menteri besar, last year.
Its acting divisional chief Datuk Abu Hasan Sarif said none of the division’s 38 committee members had left to join Mukhriz in his Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia.
Abu Hasan said Jerlun Umno had emerged even stronger from the crisis and he was confident that Barisan Nasional (BN) would win all seats in the constituency in the next general election.
"We went through a turmoil last year. Things were quite worrisome in the beginning as there were suspicions among party members and leaders in this division.
"Even I was being accused of being disloyal to the party but we have fully recovered from the crisis," he said in his welcoming speech at the divisional delegates’ meeting today.
The meeting was opened by Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Abu Hasan said Jerlun had 167 branches with 23,472 members.
He said Umno Jerlun would never again accept “parachute” candidates to contest in its parliamentary seat and two state constituencies.
As such, he pleaded with Umno leadership to consider fielding only local candidates as BN contestants for the next election.
"Four parachute candidates had been fielded in Jerlun since 1974 until 2008 when Mukhriz contested for the Jerlun parliamentary seat.
"Although all of them won the seats, we feel that it is high time for the party to only pick Jerlun Umno members to stand as election candidates in the future," he said.