KEDAH Umno chief Mahdzir Khalid today denied several Umno “warlords” in the state are planning to defect to Perikatan Nasional (PN). 

He said such talk is only propaganda spread by the opposition to gain support, especially from young voters, in the run-up to the state elections. 

“None that I have heard so far, not in Kedah… I think any political organisation will go through phases where members who leave the party or face action will go their own way. Not just Umno members joining other parties, but there are other party members who join Umno as well.

“For example, the former PAS shura council secretary, Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali, has joined the Umno ulama council. So there is no point using this ‘perception’ during elections as in the end, the people will choose either Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH), or Perikatan Nasional,” he told a media conference in Alor Setar today. 

On June 12, reports emerged that PN would soon announce the names of 10 Umno warlords who will be joining the coalition.

Separately, Mahdzir said Kedah Umno has discussed several programmes to be executed ahead of the state polls. 

“We are taking into account all target groups… the youth, farmers, fishermen, rubber tappers and others.

“The programmes will be in line with the racial composition of the locations involved as there are Malays, Chinese, Indians and Siamese (in Kedah), so all these will be taken into account.”

He said the names of Umno candidates for the Kedah polls are being finalised and will be submitted to the party president soon, adding that the list will comprise old and new faces as well as women. – Bernama, June 20, 2023.