Thursday, April 1, 2021

As Zahid's term nears end, pushback against postponing Umno polls grows

 


A Wanita Umno figure is the latest to join the chorus of leaders who have spoken out against attempts to postpone the party elections to allow Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to stay on as the Umno president beyond his three-year term.

Wanita Umno information chief Norshida Ibrahim threw her support behind Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin who earlier said the Umno election was needed to resolve "internal chaos" in the party.

"Like it or not, we have to do it. The president or other quarters can propose a postponement but we don't know what will happen because we are in a coalition government.

"It will be best if we focus on the party elections to elect new leaders. We want someone who is truly of calibre to become our leader," Norshida told journalists in Ampang.

The call came amid Zahid's attempts to position the Umno-led BN on a collision course with the Bersatu-led Perikatan Nasional government in the 15th general election (GE15).

Zahid has also threatened that Umno may quit the government if Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin did not call for a general election when the emergency expires in August.

Arau MP Shahidan Kassim and Ketereh MP Annuar Musa have also spoken out against postponing the Umno elections.

Former Umno president and Pekan MP Najib Abdul Razak, who is aligned with Zahid, has backed the proposal to postpone the party polls, warning that proceeding with it could cause a split in the party ahead of GE15.

Wanita Umno information chief Norshida Ibrahim

The Umno elections are held every three years and the next one is due in June.

The Umno constitution allows for party polls to be postponed for up to 18 months and this provision has often been invoked if the party elections fall near a possible general election.

However, there is a growing push to proceed with the party elections anyway amid discontent at the direction Zahid has charted for Umno in GE15.

Bersatu, meanwhile, has hinted at Umno leaders to take care of the "Zahid problem". - Mkini

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