GEORGE TOWN: Penang Umno liaison committee chairman Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Osman has confirmed that he will not be contesting in the 14th general election.
He said he had made known his intention to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak two years ago.
He added that the state Umno candidate list had been finalised and would be revealed soon.
“I am thankful to (Datuk Seri) Najib for agreeing to my proposal for a new face to replace me for the Nibong Tebal parliamentary seat.
“I have introduced the candidate and he has served the people there. He has been getting positive reactions from the locals there.
“I will continue to lead the state Umno election machinery to retain the existing three parliamentary and 10 state seats we have and regain the two parliamentary and five state seats which we won before this.
“I will also mobilise the Umno machinery to help Barisan Nasional candidates in other seats,” he said today.
Zainal, popularly known as Tok Non, won the Nibong Tebal parliamentary seat in the 2004 general election but lost it in the 2008 and 2013 general elections.
Umno will contest in five parliamentary and 15 state seats in the coming election while Gerakan, MCA and MIC will contest the remaining eight parliamentary and 25 state seats.
Penang BN is expected to unveil its manifesto, themed ‘Save Penang’ this Sunday.