MERSING – Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi wants all members to focus on strengthening the party rather than focusing too much on the proposal to restore the old system for the next party election.
Zahid, who is also deputy prime minister, said that in order to amend the existing system that allows party members across the country to choose the top leadership, it should be brought to a Special General Assembly.
“The Umno elections will be held in 2026 and there is another two years. But this matter needs to be brought to the Special General Assembly because it involves constitutional amendments, if it is just a regulation it will be brought in the Supreme Council.
“However, let’s not think too much about the party election. I hope that all the party leadership at the national level down to the branches concentrate on strengthening the party,” he said at a press conference after officiating the Mersing Umno division delegates meeting at Sultan Ibrahim Diamond Jubilee Hall, here today.
Also present were Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom and Mersing Umno Division chief Mohd Youzaimi Yusof.
However, Zahid who is also Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman said Umno is to open any good suggestions for the party election system when the time comes.
He said this when commenting on a portal’s report on Umno’s proposal to return to the old system which only gave the right to vote to 2,500 delegates for party elections involving the highest positions at the central level.
Meanwhile, Zahid, who is also minister of rural and regional development, wants party members to respect the views of Umno advisor Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah regarding not having the need for DAP to campaign in the Nenggiri state by-election on August 17.
“We respect his view that if there are component parties who wish to help the Nenggiri by-election, they should not come to help based on the number of votes of an ethnic group.
“That view should be respected by not hurting the feelings of any political party that wants to help and I am sure because Tengku Razaleigh is a veteran politician and he has been in Gua Musang for decades, so we respect his view,” he said.
Yesterday, according to a report, Tengku Razaleigh who is also the Umno Gua Musang division chief denied that he asked DAP not to come down or stay away from the Nenggiri by-election, instead saying that there was no need for the party to campaign in the by-election. – July 27, 2024