In an about turn, Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said (left) will ignore the contest for the Wanita Umno chief post in favour of defending her supreme council seat in the coming party elections.
The Malaysian Insider understands that despite being a strong contender to its incumbent, Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, in the looming Umno party polls, Azalina was said to have made the decision “after being advised” to do so.
It was learnt that Azalina would get a senior post in the Wanita Umno wing and a leadership role in a government-linked company if she does not contest the party polls.
When contacted, Azalina said she would give the much-anticipated fight against Shahrizat a miss and make an official statement on it on September 20, a day before the nomination for Wanita Umno,Youth and Puteri wings.
“She was told that it was not the right time as yet to make her debut as the head, so she will be gunning for a Supreme Council post instead,” a source close to the former Youth and Sports minister told The Malaysian Insider yesterday.
The source said that Azalina, however, is taking the new change of direction in her political future “well in her stride”.
“She is also definitely not going for the Wanita number two post… for now,” the source said.
Azalina is an incumbent Umno supreme council member elected in 2000 and was appointed to sit in the highest decision making body of the party by then Prime Minister and former Umno president, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Azalina, well known for donning a tough outlook and being one of the more vocal female politicians, won the Pengerang parliamentary seat in what is best described as her first “real challenge” after having won the national polls for two terms for the seat uncontested.
She was thrown into a three-cornered fight with her rivals in the May 5 general election being popular 80s singer, Dayangku Intan from PKR and independent candidate, Mohd Azaman Johari, a teacher.
Meanwhile, another source told The Malaysian Insider that Azalina will be offered the chance to lead a government-linked company (GLC) as “reward” for dropping out of the Wanita Umno leadership race and thus, “not being a hindrance” to Shahrizat’s political career.
The reason for this is mainly due to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak having recently appointed Shahrizat as a special adviser on women affairs.
The position also comes with a ministerial status aimed at maintaining Shahrizat at the helm of the Wanita Umno leadership.
Azalina, who is also a former Puteri Umno chief, openly declared her desire to challenge Shahrizat, the former Women, Family and Community Development Minister in June this year.
When contacted, Azalina confirmed that she will be giving the much-anticipated fight against Shahrizat a miss and that she would be making an official statement before the nomination for Wanita Umno,Youth and Puteri wings.
During her tenure in the Malaysian cabinet, she has served as a Tourism Minister from 2004 till 2008, and the Youth and Sports Minister for only a year, from 2008 till 2009. – September 10, 2013.
