KUALA LUMPUR: International Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz has made it official that he is vying for one of the 25 seats in the Umno Supreme Council in the upcoming party election.
Tengku Zafrul, who was appointed as the party's supreme council member about 10 days ago, took to his Facebook account yesterday to confirm that he has submitted his nomination forms to defend the post.
In the same posting, Tengku Zafrul said he wanted to help the party garner more support from Bumiputera professionals if he was elected to the party's supreme council.
"I am hereby offering myself as a candidate for the Umno Supreme Council member post.
"I have been an Umno member since 1998. I hope that by being part of Umno top leadership, I could help the party achieve its aspiration," he wrote.
The posting was accompanied by pictures of him submitting his nomination papers at the party's headquarters at Menara Dato Onn here.
Umno, said Tengku Zafrul, must prove that the party had avenues and provide the opportunity for professionals to be involved in the development of the party.
"I have experience of helping to establish a professional association which has successfully received encouraging support and involvement from professionals.
"For Umno to win the support of professionals, the party must be seen as a political outfit that welcomes and gives the opportunity for professionals to be actively involved and contribute towards the development of the party," he said.
The former finance minister during the previous Perikatan Nasional administration first announced his intention to contest for the Umno Supreme Council seat last month.
Tengku Zafrul on Feb 16 was appointed as Umno Supreme Council member. The matter was confirmed by Umno secretary general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan in a social media posting on his Twitter account.