Umno Elections: The race begins!

KUALA LUMPUR - The race for the Umno Elections has begun after the registration for candidature officially closed at 5pm on Sunday.

A total of 270 candidates have registered and confirmed their intent to compete in the polls at the central level, which will be held next March.

The competition for the Umno vice president post is the most anticipated one, as eight candidates have volunteered for the position.

Among those present were Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Legislation and Institutional Reform), Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, former Kepala Batas MP Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican, Simpang Renggam MP Datuk Seri Hasni Mohamad, Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Former Rural Development Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid and Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin were the other two incumbents.

Umno 2023 Selection Committee Chairman, Tan Sri Shahrir Abdul Samad, said a total of 74 nominations were received for the position of Umno supreme council member, with 55 of them being new faces.

He explained that only 25 individuals would hold the position of supreme council member for the Umno election this time.

As for Exco Wanita, Shahrir said that out of 55 nominations, there were 39 new faces, while for the Puteri wing, there were 44 new faces out of 45 nominations.

Adding further, he said a total of 96 nominations were submitted for the Youth Chief Wing, with 92 of them being new faces.

"In conclusion, a large number of new faces were nominated this time around.This is a good sign for UMNO," he said.

Previously, Umno secretary general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan said that Umno elections will run from Feb 1 until March 18, with the branch annual delegate meetings and Wanita, Pemuda and Puteri branch committee elections being held from Feb 1 to 26.

The Wanita, Pemuda and Puteri Umno division delegates meetings and committee elections, as well as the central Wanita, Pemuda and Puteri Umno Exco elections will be held simultaneously throughout the country on March 11.

The Umno division delegates and committee elections, and the Umno supreme council elections will be held simultaneously throughout the country on March 18.