KUALA LUMPUR – No motion was tabled at the Umno general assembly proposing the top two posts be left uncontested, Barisan Nasional (BN) secretary-general Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir confirmed today.
Unless there is a private motion moved by any of the delegates during the proceeding suggesting as such, the positions of president and deputy president will be up for grabs when Umno heads into its internal election soon.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the assembly, Zambry noted that Rembau Umno Youth information chief Mohd Shukri Shamsudin, when tabling the motions for this year’s assembly, made no mention of the no-contest.
“However, we leave it to the delegates, because at the end of the day, they are the ones who will debate the motions and decide whether to support them or not,” Zambry said, here, today.
When asked for clarification, Zambry again said that no such motion suggesting the top two posts remain status quo was tabled today, but that it will be beyond the party leadership's control if any of the delegates move it during debates.
“As far as I know, it was not tabled. The rest you can get confirmation from (Umno secretary-general) Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan,” he said.
Other than the policy speech delivered by party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi earlier this morning, today’s assembly proceeding is held behind closed doors, with no live streaming for the media or public.
Previously on January 3, Ahmad Maslan had said that this year’s general assembly will only feature one motion on the president’s policy speech.
He said the decision was made as many current ministers who are able to address certain key issues, including on education, economics and cost of living, are not from Umno.
There are growing speculations that Khairy Jamaluddin and Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein who previously held positions in Umno, are considering contesting top posts in the party.
However, many within Umno are urging for the positions of president and deputy president to be left uncontested, calling instead for unity among all members.
On Wednesday night, some 140 Umno division chiefs expressed solidarity for the two posts to be unchallenged, as the current focus should be on strengthening the political outfit ahead of the state elections due to be held this year.
Responding to this, Khairy took to Instagram yesterday calling it “madness” to insist that there be no elections for the top positions.
Later yesterday, all three party wing leaders made a similar call, with Youth chief Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki going as far as saying that the president is Umno’s “centre of gravity”, and that toppling him would have a detrimental effect. – The Vibes, January 13, 2023
