Controversial Blogger Papagomo Is Now Part Of The New UMNO Youth Exco
There are 20 members in UMNO Youth's new exco line-up for the 2018 to 2021 term.
By Tang Ruxyn — 25 Jun 2018, 11:53 AM
Controversial blogger Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris, popularly known as Papagomo, is officially elected as one of the new faces in the UMNO Youth Exco line-up for the 2018 to 2021 term
Malaysiakini reported that Wan Muhammad was among the 20 elected members out of the 183 candidates that contested for the executive councillor posts.
The 35-year-old rose to fame in 2013 when Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim filed for damages, alleging that the blogger posted an article slandering the PKR de facto leader. Anwar won the defamation suit in 2014 and the High Court awarded RM800,000 in damages to Anwar and RM50,000 in costs.
Wan Muhammad finally settled the RM951,260.30 damages he was ordered to pay in November 2017, as he risked being declared a bankrupt.
He was caught in another controversy when he was fined in 2016 after he pleaded guilty to three counts of assaulting a foreign worker.
Wan Muhammad has since thanked UMNO delegates for entrusting him to carry out the responsibilities of a leader in the exco
Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris (left) with newly elected UMNO Youth chief Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki.
Image via @Sir_Azri/TwitterWan Muhammad, who was an UMNO committee member for the Wangsa Maju branch from 2013 to 2018, wrote in a statement published on his Facebook page saying that he chose to offer himself at a time when the party is being tested and holds no federal power.
"This is not an easy task. It's a very challenging task. But I still chose this winding and challenging path," he said, adding that this was proof that he is not a selfish person who loves money.
In his statement, Wan Muhammad said that he wants to forget his past and have a new beginning as he stressed that everyone would have past wrongs, citing Tun Dr Mahathir and Anwar as examples.
"I do not wish to look to the past. Instead, I want to look forward and continue to improve the situation for the better. May Allah forgive my past sins," he said.
Wan Muhammad came in at the 16th place in the 20-member UMNO Youth EXCO line-up.
Here is the full list of the exco members for the 2018 to 2021 term:
2. Azril Rizal Yusof Mohd Sarit
3. Lassim Burhan
4. Muhammad Faiz Hashim
5. Ikmal Hazlan Ikmal Hashim
6. Afriz Mohd Noor
7. Rizan Aziz
8. Mohamad Amin Othman
9. Muhamad Muqharabbin Mokhtarrudin
10. Mustafa Shah Abdul Hamid
11. Najmil Faiz Mohamed Aris
12. Rais Yasin
13. Mohd Adha Zainal Aznam
14. Syed Atif Syed Abu Bakar
15. Mohamad Faizal Sufar
16. Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris
17. Mohamad Fazly Zainudin
18. Syed Mohd Johan Rizal Syed Unan Mashri
19. Andi Muhammad Suryady Bandy
20. Fikhran Hamshi Mohamad Fatmi
Meanwhile, Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki won the UMNO Youth chief post while Shahril Sufian Hamdan won the UMNO Youth vice-chief post in the party election.
