Umno cannot name a party leader to head the state government.
Umno stalwart Shahrir Abdul Samad today said he was sorry that Hasni Mohammad will not be Johor menteri besar as promised by his party, saying he was “ashamed” at the turn of events.
He said Umno had confirmed that Johor Umno chairman Hasni, who successfully defended his Benut seat in the March 12 Johor elections, would continue being the menteri besar.
Shahrir, a grassroots leader of the party, said he had even laughed at Pakatan Harapan and Perikatan Nasional for not naming their menteri besar candidate.
“We have the people’s mandate but we cannot place the head of the party (Johor Umno) as head of the state government,” Shahrir said in a statement today.
He said the about-turn had made him reluctant to represent the Johor division at the Umno general assembly this weekend.
“I’m now too ashamed to attend the assembly in the name of Johor Umno, and I don’t wish to give any speeches.
“I apologise. I am so ashamed at what has happened after state elections from which we emerged so victoriously under Hasni’s leadership.”
Last night, Hasni issued a statement asking the party leaders to choose a younger assemblyman to lead Johor.
The forerunner for the job is Onn Hafiz Ghazi, 43, who won the Machap seat with a more than 6,000 vote-majority in the polls. He was previously the Layang-Layang assemblyman.
Hasni’s request for a younger leader came as a surprise after BN chairman and Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had declared Hasni would be the menteri besar during the election campaign – TMI