Former Umno Supreme Council member Puad Zarkashi has criticised the party’s candidate selection for the Johor state election, claiming it relies too heavily on ‘recycled’ and ‘mediocre’ candidates who do not reflect the aspirations of younger voters.
In a Facebook post, Puad said the line-up announced after Nomination Day failed to demonstrate party renewal and remained dominated by leaders from an older generation.
He argued that Umno, now 80 years old, should have given greater opportunities to fourth-generation leaders instead of continuing to rely on third-generation figures.
Questions over candidate selection
Puad described the candidate list as disorganised and uninspiring, alleging that candidate selection favoured cronies and close associates rather than reflecting meaningful change.
He also questioned the decision to nominate individuals who had recently rejoined the party, saying some were selected as candidates within a month of returning to Umno.
According to him, this approach had sidelined younger leaders and failed to meet the expectations of young voters.
Veteran candidates under scrutiny
Puad questioned the nomination of several experienced politicians, including Halim Suleiman, Adham Baba, Samsolbari Jamali, Alwiyah Talib, Azhar Ibrahim, Zaidi Jaafar and Youzaimi Yusof, noting that some had previously lost elections, while others had been dropped in earlier contests before returning as candidates.
He also claimed that Fuad Tukirin, who holds a Doctor of Philosophy qualification, had been overlooked for the Bukit Naning seat and replaced by another candidate.
Puad said the decision raised questions about the party’s ability to attract younger voters.
Call for greater youth representation
He further pointed out that only one representative from Puteri Umno had been selected as a candidate, describing it as another indication that opportunities for younger leaders remained limited.
Puad said the dissatisfaction within Puteri Umno was understandable and warned that young voters could once again reject the party in the coming election.
