BAGAN DATUK: New faces will form 70 per cent of the Barisan Nasional line-up of candidates for the 15th General Election (GE15).
"I am determined to see 70 per cent of the candidates are new faces.
"I want to see new candidates of high calibre, good attitude as well as having high commitment to help the people," BN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said during his opening speech at the Bagan Datuk Umno division meeting here, today.
The Bagan Datuk member of Parliament said the list would include those from the Women's wing which would make up 30 per cent.
"Women leaders in Umno want the selection of candidates to be able to represent four groups namely the national Wanita Umno exco (members), seven women leaders who currently hold the position of the division head, Puteri Umno representatives and professionals.
"So right now, women and young candidates make up 100 per cent of the list but what about the old candidates?
"As BN chairman, I must be fair. I will choose the new faces but also maintain the old ones so that we have both, in the upcoming election," he said adding that the list had yet to be finalised.
Zahid also reminded the new and young candidates to always respect the old, and the old must love the young.
"This unity among Umno, BN and Friends of BN... and we can see new and old leader faces so that the rakyat would see that BN has changed," he added.
Ahmad Zahid also said that for the upcoming GE15, the party would contest in 191 parliamentary seats and for the first time, Friends of BN would also be given a chance to contest.
Friends of BN comprise Makkal Sakti, Parti Cinta Malaysia (PCM), Malaysian Indian Progressive Front (IPF), Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress (KIMMA), and Malaysian Indian United Party (MUIP), and Parti Punjabi Malaysia (PPM).
Ahmad Zahid also reminded members of the party that the success of winning seven by-elections and two state elections as well as the Sabah state election previously was not a benchmark for the party to win big in GE15.
"It only shows that we have recovered (from defeat), so don't feel comfortable with all the victories," he said.