Seven vie to be Umno president – the highest number of contenders in the party’s history.
Seven people are contending for the position of Umno president in this year’s party elections on June 30. It is the largest number of presidential candidates and the first contest for the position since 1987.
After nominations closed at 5pm yesterday, Umno headquarters announced a total of 612 candidates vying for positions on Umno’s Supreme Council and leadership of the Wanita and Youth wings.
Umno executive secretary Ab Rauf Yusoh announced the number of nominations received. However, he declined to reveal the names of the candidates, only confirming that three of those vying for the president’s post were those who had made known their intentions earlier.
It had been reported that acting Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and Umno Youth Chief Khairy Jamaluddin will be running for president.
While the identities of the other four nominees for the top post remain unknown, what is certain, according to Umno’s constitution, is that they must have served as a Supreme Council member or a been an Umno division leader for at least one term.
“The names of all candidates will be released tomorrow after their background checks have been carried out and they have been screened for insolvency,” Rauf said.
On whether Sungai Besar Umno chief Jamal Yunos would be eligible to contest the post of youth chief as he is on the run from the police, Rauf would not give a definite answer but merely said that Jamal had yet to be charged.
The following are the number of candidates for some of the positions:
- President – 7
- Deputy president – 4
- Vice-presidents – 9
- Youth, leader – 9
- Youth, vice-chief – 9
- Youth, committee – 207
- Wanita, leader – 4
- Wanita, vice-chief – 6
- Wanita, committee – 88
- Puteri, leader – 4
- Puteri, vice-chief – 6
- Puteri committee – 87
- Supreme Council – 121
The Umno polls are set to be held on June 30. – FMT