KUALA LUMPUR: A candidate from Wanita Umno should be a preferred candidate in the upcoming Mahkota by-election, said Datuk Nurulhidayah Ahmad Zahid.
The Wanita Umno exco member made the open request to Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is her father, during debates at the party's general assembly.
"Wanita Umno requests and appeals to the party president who is also Barisan Nasional coalition chairman, to consider putting a woman candidate for the Mahkota state seat.
"This is because the Mahkota state seat is traditionally held by a woman," she said when debating the president's policy speech during the Umno general assembly on Saturday (Aug 24).
Nurulhidayah had earlier quipped that a woman candidate should be given preference over a male candidate, particularly if the seat could be easily won.
"We are not being very demanding and what we mean is putting us in any seat which can be easily won.
"Let the men be at a difficult seat because, based on logic and nature, men are stronger of the two," she said drawing cheers from the women delegates in Dewan Merdeka where the assembly was held.
She said she was merely carrying the voice of Wanita Umno and was not qualified to ask for a seat for herself even in Bagan Datuk.
"But if offered, I will not reject it," she said, drawing laughter from the floor.
Bagan Datuk is the parliamentary seat held by Ahmad Zahid.
The Mahkota state seat in Johor was declared vacant following the death of assemblyman Datuk Sharifah Azizah Syed Zain on Aug 2.
The Election Commission has set Nomination Day on Sept 14 and Polling Day on Sept 28.
There were reports of cracks between Johor Amanah and Umno on which party will contest for the Mahkota by-election.
This was put to rest when Pakatan Harapan secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail announced that the coalition would not be contesting for the seat.
Both Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri Noriani Ahmad and Umno Youth chief Dr Muhammad Akmal Saleh had requested that a candidate from their movement be chosen for the Mahkota by-election.
On Thursday (Aug 22), Ahmad Zahid said the request by Wanita Umno and Umno Youth would be given due consideration.
The Barisan chairman said that he will be meeting with the Barisan Johor state liaison committee next week to discuss the candidate list for the by-election.
