Shahidan wants Umno elections to be held earlier to resolve leadership crisis

 

While agreeing with Umno's decision to postpone its elections for 18 months, Arau MP Shahidan Kassim said the party polls should be held earlier to resolve the ongoing leadership crisis.

He said the elections should be held at all levels as there is a leadership crisis in Umno.

"In our opinion, at the divisional level, if the Covid-19 problem can be solved, we can hold the party polls earlier," Shahidan was quoted as saying by Sinar Harian.

"If we can request the Parliament to sit earlier, I feel that the party election can be requested (to be held) earlier too," he added.

It was reported that Umno has postponed its polls for 18 months until early 2023 due to Covid-19.

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is facing a threat to his leadership, with Padang Rengas MP Nazri Abdul Aziz rallying to back Sembrong MP Hishammuddin Hussein over him.

Zahid, however, dismissed Nazri’s claim that 25 out of 42 MPs are now backing Hishammuddin, calling it a "cartoon story".

Zahid is seen to be paving the way for Umno to quit the Perikatan Nasional government while trying to fend off internal resistance.

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi

Umno holds its party elections every three years and the last one was held on June 30, 2018. The term of the current party leadership is supposed to end this month, but the Umno constitution does allow for internal polls to be postponed for 18 months.

Meanwhile, Shahidan said he agreed with Pekan MP Najib Abdul Razak that any quarter that does not support the decision of the supreme council, should not be nominated as candidates in the coming 15th general election.

"I agree with Najib's view that any individual who does not follow the decision of the supreme council should not be fielded as a candidate in the general election or the people should not support them.

"At this time, I am the one who abides by the party's instruction. The party's decision was to support the PN government until the next general election and to reject PKR's Anwar Ibrahim and DAP.

"But among the MPs, Najib knows who does not follow the decision of the party," he added.  - Mkini