KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 15 — Pekan Umno chief Zamri Ramly said former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was nominated to defend his Pekan parliamentary seat before the court handed him a 12-year imprisonment decision.

He told Malaysiakini that Najib, as the incumbent who has held the seat for five terms, was included in a name list of five nominated candidates that was handed to the Pahang Umno liaison committee before the deadline on August 19.

"However, Najib was sent to prison on August 23. Thus, his nomination should not be turned into an issue as his name was handed in before the court sentencing,” Zamri reportedly told Malaysiakini yesterday.

Najib was sent to jail after he was convicted of seven counts of corruption in the SRC International Sdn Bhd case.

He added that even though Najib was nominated, it did not mean he will be picked to contest in the 15th general election.

He explained that it is a norm for any Umno division to propose the incumbents in their name list for consideration to be fielded in the elections.

Zamri had earlier revealed that the Pekan Umno division had submitted five names for the Pekan parliamentary seat, including Najib’s name.

He had said there were no plans to nominate Najib’s children and that whoever was chosen to contest for the seat will hand the seat back to Najib after he is pardoned.