Ketereh Umno wants PM to stay until 2023, party polls by Nov 2022

 

The Ketereh Umno division is calling for Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob to serve out his term until Parliament expires in 2023.

This puts the division, led by Annuar Musa, in direct conflict with Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's faction - who wants the 15th general election held as soon as possible.

Besides having Parliament serve out a full term, Ketereh Umno also wants the Umno party elections held before Nov 2022 - a move likely aimed at unseating Zahid.

Both motions were tabled and passed at the division's annual meeting today.

"We agree to give the prime minister a chance to continue administering the country and implementing a national recovery agenda based on the aspirations of 'Keluarga Malaysia' until the 14th Parliament's term ends in 2023," the motion moved by Ketereh Umno information chief Roslan Ab Hamid read.

As for party polls, the motion argued that party leaders must get a fresh mandate before GE15.

"There is a need to hasten the process so that each layer of leadership at branches, divisions and the supreme council have the mandate of party members heading into GE15," the motion read.

At a press conference later, Annuar said there is no reason to delay party polls as the Covid-19 pandemic is a stage where elections can be held.

Umno was supposed to hold party elections in the middle of this year, as the current leadership's term was set to expire on June 30.

However, the supreme council decided to postpone elections by 18 months, with the new due date by Dec 29 next year.

The push to hold internal polls sooner comes amid a clash within Umno on when to hold GE15.

The battle lines are the same as when Umno was debating whether to continue supporting Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister.

At present, a memorandum of understanding between Putrajaya and Pakatan Harapan stipulates that Parliament can't be dissolved before the end of July.

However, Zahid's faction says this should be ignored. - Mkini