KOTA KINABALU, 16 Feb 2009: Former Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak today announced that he was withdrawing from contesting for the post of Umno supreme council (Majlis Tertinggi or MT) member during the party’s elections next month.
Salleh said he made the decision after considering the fact that many Sabah Umno candidates were eligible to contest for supreme council member posts during the party’s General Assembly scheduled for 24-28 March after surpassing the eligibility quota.
“I have decided to withdraw to so that other contestants from in Sabah will have a better chance of winning seats. My main focus and task now is to concentrate on strengthening Umno and the Kota Belud division as well as play a prominent role as a member of the state Umno liaison committee,” he said here today.
Salleh, also President of the United Sabah Bajau Organisation, who was returned as chief of the Kota Belud division after winning the divisional election last year, said he had received notification letter and nomination form from the Umno headquarters recently.
He added that the dateline to submit the forms to the Umno headquarters was 20 Feb but though he was not contesting, he thanked all branches that had nominated him.
Salleh also welcomed the state liaison committee’s decision to support whichever candidate eligible to contest for a supreme council seat. — Bernama
