No Outside Influence In Selecting Election Candidates, Says Hishammuddin - Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, April 2 (Bernama) -- Umno Youth head Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said the nomination of candidates from the movement to stand in the March 8 general election was according to the normal procedure.

It was not in any way influenced by a middleman as alleged by former Umno president Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad yesterday, he said in a statement Wednesday.

He said Umno Youth did not have a specific list containing the names candidates to stand in the election because the vetting process and selection of candidates were made jointly by leaders at the division and state levels.

"So, the issue of Youth candidates being nominated not according to the existing channel as far as I know, including Youth candidates from component parties, does not arise.

"This is the process we have practised all this while in selecting candidates in each general election," he said.

Hishammuddin said the process of selecting Youth candidates was discussed between the state Umno Youth head and state liaison chief before the whole list which included other candidates was submitted to party president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for approval.

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