KUANTAN: Umno could pick a caretaker to manage matters related to the Pekan parliamentary constituency until the 15th general election (GE15) following Datuk Seri Najib Razak's incarceration.
The Pekan parliament seat is now vacant after Najib lost in his final bid to overturn the 12-year jail sentence and RM210 million fine for misappropriation of SRC International funds.
Najib, who is former prime minister, was found guilty of misappropriating RM42 million of SRC International's funds.
A Pahang Umno liaison committee member, who declined to be named, said it was still too early to identify the individual but believes that the matter will be decided by the party's top leadership soon.
"It might be either one of the four Umno assemblymen who are currently serving the state constituency. Let the party leadership decide on the individual," he said when contacted.
Several others, when contacted, also declined to comment, saying it would be left to Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamid and Pahang Umno liaison committee chairman Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail.
It is learnt that Najib last met the Pekan Umno division committee members when he chaired a meeting at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur on Aug 20.
There was talk that Najib's son, Datuk Mohd Nizar, who is the Pekan Umno Youth chief, would be fielded in GE15 and might contest one of the state seats while one of the assemblymen would contest the Pekan parliamentary seat.
Meanwhile, Pekan Umno committee member, Datuk Seri Ishak Muhammad, said the division leadership will hold a meeting to decide on the parliamentary seat coordinator.
"Pekan Umno division deputy chief (Datuk Seri Zamri Ramly) might call for a meeting to discuss the matter.
"However, the Election Commission has yet to officially declare the seat vacant so let's wait," he said when contacted.
Pressed on who the Pekan parliamentary coordinator would be, Ishak, who is the state assembly speaker, said that under such circumstances, one of the state assemblymen would usually be picked to temporarily manage the constituency.
The Pekan parliamentary constituency has four state seats namely Bebar, Chini, Pulau Manis and Peramu Jaya.