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Monday, 5 October 2009

I Was Among The First To Propose Isa To Be BN Candidate, Says Mohamad

PORT DICKSON, Oct 4 (Bernama) -- Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said on Sunday he was among the first people who called for Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad to be named as the Barisan Nasional's candidate for the Bagan Pinang by-election.

Refuting allegations by the Opposition that there was a rift between him and Isa, Mohamad said this was purposely being raised by the opposition in a bid to gain political capital.

"There were plenty of witnesses when paying my last respects to Bagan Pinang's late assemblyman Azman Mohamamd Noor at the hospital, I suggested Isa be the candidate. Then itself I had told Tan Sri (Isa) to get ready to contest," he told reporters after holding a meeting with community leaders from around Port Dickson, here.

Mohamad said at the time, Isa did not give any answer and just asked for some time to think about it.

However, he said, in the interest of the people of Bagan Pinang and the Barisan Nasional (BN), Isa agreed to be the coalition's candidate.

Asked about the aggresive approach taken by supporters of the Opposition during nomination for the by-election yesterday with Umno supreme council member Datuk Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim claiming he was punched in the neck by some of them, Mohamad said thuggish culture had crept into opposition parties.

He said he hoped such incidents would not repeat and the democratic process would be respected.

The by-election, polling of which will be on Oct 11, will see a straight fight between Isa, who is also former Negeri Sembilan menteri besar, and Zulkefly Mohamad Omar, the Negeri Sembilan PAS commissioner.

It is called following the death of its assemblyman Azman Mohammad Noor, of the BN, on Sept 4 due to a blood infection.

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