Will president's men win in Umno elections tonight?
Zahid Hamidi - Bernama pic
KUALA LUMPUR: All eyes are set on Umno polls with unofficial results expected to be announced tonight.
Official results will only be announced once all votes from the 191 Umno divisions are counted without any objections.
The battle for the party's vice-president and supreme council members seat comes after an expulsion and suspension of several senior figures in Umno in January.
Umno is Malaysia’s oldest political party.
The battle remains with a heated battle for the vice-president posts. There are three spots up for grabs but it is contested by eight heavyweights.
They include the party’s Supreme Council members Datuk Datuk Azalina Othman Said, Datuk Johari Abdul Ghani, Datuk Seri Rosdy Wan Ismail, Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican.
Azalina is the current minister of law and institutional reform.
Others include former Johor chief minister Hasni Mohammad, Datuk Seri Khalid Nordin and Datuk Seri Madzhir Khalid.
The contest as two top posts in Umno - the president and deputy president will not be contested after its General Assembly passed a motion in January to leave those posts unchallenged.
Zambry and Azalina are said to to the "president's man" while Johari is a “wildcard” in the battle and is said to have a close ear to Umno President Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
As for Umno Supreme Council seat, Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Aziz, controversial figures such as Datuk Jamal Yunus and Datuk Lokman Adam are also in the list.
Others are recently appointed to Felcra chairman Datuk Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub, Umno warlord Datuk Puad Zakarshi, former Baling MP Datuk Azeez Rahim and Kinabatangan MP Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin.
There are 80 contestants for 25 seats.
