KUALA LUMPUR – Umno wing leaders appear to be setting the tone for delegates at the party’s ongoing annual general assembly on calls that the party’s top two posts not be contested.
Wing leaders are backing party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and his deputy Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan to be unchallenged in party elections that must be held before May 19.
Umno Youth chief Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said a party’s president is an organisation’s “centre of gravity,” and bringing about their downfall would have detrimental outcomes for the party.
“The strategy of hurling personal attacks at a leader while attempting to assassinate his character and ruin his credibility is the most effective weapon to kill any party.
“The proof is how during the recent general election, Umno’s top two leaders were painted in a bad light, thanks to political accusations, to the point where Umno was brought down,” he said, referring to the party’s dismal performance in the 15th general election (GE15) last November.
Asyraf said this during his policy speech at the opening of the Umno Youth convention, here, amid much speculation over whether Zahid and Mohamad will face contests for their positions. While there will be no election in the ongoing assembly, the gathering is seen as a curtain raiser to that.
Mohamad, who is also defence minister, said yesterday that while he is ready to defend his position, he would rather avoid a contest in the interest of ensuring unity within the Barisan Nasional linchpin.
Sharing similar sentiments, Puteri Umno head Datuk Zahida Zarik Khan urged delegates to learn from rival parties that consistently support their president, lamenting how Umno seems to lack the principle of defending its supreme leader.
“Look at other parties; no matter how many times they come out on the losing side in national elections, they never call for their president’s resignation.
“We should find a way to together uplift our leader, instead of dragging him down even further. Any actions that could potentially weaken the party must be avoided,” she said in her policy speech.
Earlier, Wanita Umno head Datuk Seri Noraini Ahmad also urged loyalty to Zahid and Mohamad, asking that they be allowed to lead the party following its worst ever electoral performance.
“How nice it would be if the president and deputy president titles are not contested, (as) this will then give our leaders space to heal and empower Umno once again,” she said during her policy speech at the party’s general assembly here today.
“Unity (within the party) will be the key to Umno’s victory,” Noraini added.
Following the results of GE15, which saw Umno only securing 26 parliamentary seats, a chorus of voices from within the party had called for Zahid to relinquish the presidency and take responsibility for the party’s worst-ever electoral performance.
The decision not to have elections for the top two posts can be made by the Umno Supreme Council or president, but there are also suggestions that it should come from the floor as a motion during the ongoing assembly for it to be approved.
There has been speculation that Sembrong MP Datuk Seri Hishammudin Hussein would go for the presidency with Khairy Jamaluddin as his running mate, while Khairy himself recently said he was still thinking about contesting.
Khairy today also said the party’s grassroots members and delegates should not be denied their right to choose a leader. – The Vibes, January 12, 2023
