'The more the merrier' - Umno president ready for fresh bid to unseat him

 

Bagan Datuk MP Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is prepared to once again face challengers for the position of Umno president.

Challenging the sitting Umno president is considered taboo in Umno after Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah's challenge against former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad in the 1987 polls led to a split and subsequent deregistration of the party.

However, the tradition of not challenging the party president ended in the 2018 party election when Tengku Razaleigh and Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin challenged Zahid for the presidency.

Even though Zahid was not the incumbent, he was the acting president after Pekan MP Najib Abdul Razak resigned following BN's defeat in the general election.

Now officially the Umno president, Zahid reiterated that he was prepared to again face challengers.

"I am a democratic person, that was why in the 2018 party election, three people were contesting for the presidency.

"This time, even if there are seven people contesting - the more the merrier," he was quoted as saying by Berita Harian.

The Umno election is due this year but could still be postponed to 2022.  - Mkini