KUALA LUMPUR, July 22 — Umno supreme council member Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz, who was speculated to be the next potential Selangor menteri besar, said he will be campaigning for other Barisan Nasional-Pakatan Harapan (BN-PH) candidates in next month’s state election.
The senator was excluded from the BN’s list of candidates during an announcement last night.
Contacted by Malaysiakini for comment, Tengku Zafrul told the news portal that his current priority is for Umno to secure a stronger foothold in Selangor without being dependent on PH and that he leaves the strategies to achieve this to his party leaders.
“But when it is decided that I will not contest, it clearly means that in the leadership’s judgment, my role is not part of the strategy.
“But as a member of the party — I am a party man — I will still help the unity government candidates who are contesting, not only in Selangor but also in the five other states involved in the elections,” he was quoted as saying.
The Umno Kota Raja division chief had been widely speculated to be the next Selangor menteri besar and expected to run for state elections this year.
Citing unnamed sources, Malaysiakini said the initial plan was to have Tengku Zafrul contest in Sungai Kandis seat, but PKR declined to make way.
Dusun Tua was the second seat where the former banker was tipped to contest, but last night’s big reveal by BN saw former Semenyih assemblyman Johan Abdul Aziz named instead.
The incumbent Dusun Tua assemblyman is Edry Faizal Eddy Yusof from DAP.
