BAYAN LEPAS - Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has confirmed that the Registrar of Societies (RoS) has accepted the additional motion of the 2022 Umno General Assembly (PAU) to not contest the Umno president and deputy president post.
Zahid said that Umno received a letter from the Home Ministry (KDN) confirming that RoS has accepted the extra motion approved in PAU 2022.
"Today (Saturday) we have received a letter from KDN confirming that RoS has accepted the motion approved by PAU.
"Thus, from the letter issued, it is confirmed that only the position of vice president to the Supreme Council and positions in the wings will be contested," he said at ceremony held to introduce Umno Penang election candidates,
Zahid added that from the letter, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail had decided to grant an exemption from compliance to Section 13(1) (c) (14) through Section 70 of the Organisation Act 1996 (Act 832) regarding the decision of approving the motion in 2022 PAU.
"Based on the letter, it is a legality that the position of president and deputy president will not be contested. This is because the permanent chairman had followed all meeting rules and clauses in the constitution.
"Most importantly, the chairman had asked all delegates to agree to the 8th motion, to not contest the top two posts.
"The chairman had asked any delegates who agreed to stand up and raise their hands. More than 95 per cent of those present had stood up and raised their hands and the chairman had also asked to do the same for anyone who disagreed," he explained.
Therefore, Zahid said the permanent chairman had followed all the rules and the party's constitution.
"It is mentioned in Umno constitution's that PAU is the highest decision-making body. Therefore, the decision made by the chairman through PAU had went through the rightful procedures and fully followed the consititution.
"Thus, the letter from KDN is a confirmation that when RoS conducted an investigation,the KDN minister's decision in accordance to Article 70 in the Organisation Act 1996 is fully effective and gives legitimacy for the positions of president and deputy president to be exempted from the election," he said.
When asked why RoS did not announce the matter, Zahid said the announcement had already been made by RoS through the letter and confirmed by KDN.
"The announcement is what I am saying now. When a letter is received, the party will announce the matter.
"As I mentioned earlier, the letter was sent yesterday (Friday)," he said.
During the 2022 Umno General Assembly, Mohd Shukri Samsudin, a representative from Negeri Sembilan had proposed an extra motion to exclude the Umno president and deputy president posts from being contested in the upcoming Umno election.
Following that, two Umno members had sent a complaint to RoS to review the extra motion approved in 2022 PAU.
The complaint was submitted by Kuala Nerus Umno division member Muhammad Aizat Fikri Mohd Nasir and Seremban Umno member Muhammad Fiqri Firdaus Muhammad Rom in dispute of the extra motion.