Umno delegates have convened today to elect their divisional and supreme council leaders, with the focus on the contest for the post of party president.
Five candidates are standing for president, among them three heavyweights – Bagan Datuk MP Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, the vice-president discharging the duties of the president; Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and Rembau MP and former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin.
The two other contenders are Bandar Tun Razak Division member Mohamed Iqbal Maricair and Iskandar Puteri Division member Mohd Yusof Musa @ Jamaluddin.
The divisional meetings began at 9am simultaneously at 191 divisions of the party in the country, and the main item on the agenda is the election of the divisional and supreme council leaders for the 2018-2021 term.
The Umno elections have been postponed since 2016 to enable the party to concentrate on the 14th general election which was held this year.
Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak had stepped down as the party president following the defeat of the Barisan Nasional to the Pakatan Harapan coalition in the general election on May 9, leaving vice-president Ahmad Zahid to also discharge the duties of the president.
The contest for the post of deputy president is a straight fight between supreme council member and former Negeri Sembilan menteri besar Mohamad Hasan and Umno Information chief Annuar Musa.
The post of deputy president has been vacant since February 2016 when the then deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin was suspended from the party and sacked four months later. Ahmad Zahid had been discharging the duties of the deputy president since.
Muhyiddin went on to help establish Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) helmed by Dr Mahathir Mohamad and is now home affairs minister in the Pakatan Harapan government led by Mahathir as the prime minister. (Bersatu is a partner in the Pakatan Harapan coalition, along with PKR, DAP and Amanah.)
106 vying for spot on supreme council
Today’s election for the three posts of Umno vice-president is a contest among seven candidates. They are Ismail Sabri Yaakob; Mohamad Khaled Nordin; Sheikh Razali Sheikh Hamad; Mahdzir Khalid; Tajuddin Abdul Rahman; Johari Abdul Ghani and Ahmad Said.
Vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein is not contesting in the party elections. Vice-president Ahmad Zahid is going for the presidency.
The third post of vice-president has been vacant since Mohd Shafie Apdal quit the party after he was suspended.
He is now the chief minister of Sabah after the Parti Warisan Sabah he leads formed the government in the state following the general election this year.
A total of 106 candidates are contesting the 25 posts of supreme council member in the Umno elections.
The delegates at today’s meetings will also elect leaders at the divisional level.
The results of the elections for the central positions are expected to be available and announced at night by the Umno headquarters.
The results of the elections for the divisional posts will be announced by the respective divisional permanent chairmen.
Several divisional leaders have been returned unopposed. One of them is former party president Najib who has been returned unopposed as the head of the Pekan Division.
Last Saturday, Umno completed its delegates meetings and elections for the three wings – Wanita, Youth and Puteri.
- Bernama
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