State polls: Kelantan, Kedah are the toughest to win – Umno youth chief

KUALA LUMPUR - Selangor and Kedah will be the toughest states for Umno to secure victory in the upcoming state polls.

In saying this, Umno Youth Chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh added that he will also join the party's election machinery to attract voters.

"We have 80 per cent of new and young people who will come and give their full support to Umno and we see a future for Umno in the upcoming polls.

"We are quite confident this time around because I believe that we are prepared. "In fact, all the Umno wings are well prepared for the election," he told reporters at a press conference during the 2023 Umno general assembly.

The three-day assembly, which kicked off on June 7, is held at the party's headquarters at Dewan Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre (WTC).

Equipped with the strongest party machinery from all wings, Dr Akmal said that now Umno leaves it to the voters to choose.

"We hope and pray that voters will be on our side. However, if not, we need to try harder in the next 16th general election (GE16)." He also said that he will be travelling to six states to help the party's machinery campaign.

Kelantan, along with Kedah, Selangor, Terengganu, Penang, and Negeri Sembilan, are due for state elections this year.

This was following their respective Menter Besari’s decision not to dissolve the state assembly when the parliament was dissolved to pave the way for the 15th General Election (GE15) last year.