ANWAR Ibrahim should mind his own business and not be bothered about who becomes Umno’s next president, the party’s acting head Mohamad Hasan said.

The Barisan Nasional candidate for the Rantau state seat said he was not surprised at Anwar’s claims that certain Umno members had begun to make overtures to the PKR president who is in line to be the next prime minister.

“I’m not surprised if there are Umno members who have bought insurance from Anwar. 

“In politics, we call them frogs,” Mohamad told reporters at the BN’s operations room for the Rantau by-election, using the term to describe party-hoppers.

The Umno deputy president who is taking on the duties of the president, was responding to Anwar’s claims made at a campaign event in Rantau yesterday.

Anwar had said Mohamad would never become Umno chief as there were party members who have begun to conspire against him.

Anwar said Umno members had come to see him about how to “fight” Mohamad and wanted to be “friendly” with him (Anwar) because he was expected to take over as the next prime minister.

Mohamad, who became acting president when party chief Ahmad Zahid Hamidi went on leave last year, said he would have contested the post if he really wanted the position.

“This is a post where no one can predict (the outcome) and I have no ambitions. If I had wanted to be president, I would have contested the seat during the Umno elections last year.

“My priority is only two things: to strengthen the party and to prepare it to face the 15th general election.”