Umno deputy president Tok Mat is here to stay

KUALA LUMPUR: In an unsurprising turn of events, Umno decided for the deputy president post to remain uncontested.

This means its deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hassan post would be secured for yet another term.

The motion which was put forth at the eleventh hour by the Negeri Sembilan delegate was supported by several delegates from Terengganu, Selangor, Penang and Kedah, as well as by Wanita Umno delegates.

In a Facebook post, Umno information chief Isham Jalil said the motion was passed by 90 percent of the delegates that have attended the Umno General Assembly today.

We thank god that all the motions that have been put forth by delegates from all over Malaysia has been passed including the motion for the top two posts in the party to remain uncontested." he wrote.

In a press conference later Umno supreme council member Datuk Seri Ahmad Said defended the motion for the party's top two posts to remain uncontested and informed that it was in line with the party's constitution.

Ahmad, who is also Terengganu Umno chief, said that the move to maintain the top leadership was important as six state elections will be held this year.

He also said that the motion was overwhelmingly approved by the assembly.

“More than 90 per cent of the delegation stood up and raised their hands, not even 30 people were against the motion,” he said.

Former Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin had questioned the motion for the deputy president post to not be contested as the motion was suddenly proposed by a delegate from the Rembau division.

The same division which Mohamad Hassan is from.

In earlier events, sources shared that several Umno delegates were against the motion that there would no contest for the party's top positions.

The issue of the top two posts being contested has been swirling around for the past four days and even before the assembly started.

The date for the actual party polls has yet to be ascertained, but still needs to be held before May 19 or within six months after the last General Election.

Prior to this, 140 Umno division chiefs had expressed solidarity for the party’s top two posts not to be contested in the party elections.