KUALA LUMPUR – Former prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has confirmed that he will not defend his vice-president post in the ongoing Umno polls.
Ismail had confirmed this to news portal Malaysiakini when asked whether he would not be defending his post.
“Yes,” said Ismail in a brief text to the news portal without elaborating further but added he will issue a statement on the matter soon.
Previously, Ismail Sabri along with Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin and Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid had cliched Umno’s three vice-president posts during the previous party polls in 2018.
To date, apart from Khaled and Mahdzir indicating they will defend their posts, six other contenders have put forward their names for the position.
They are Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail, Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir, Datuk Seri Hasni Mohammad, Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican, and Datuk Seri Johari Ghani.
With contests barred for the two top party posts, Umno is expected to go to the polls to elect its vice-presidents, Supreme Council members as well as executive positions at the divisional level this coming March 18. – The Vibes, February 26, 2023
