KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 14 — Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan purported today not to know that the motion for the party’s top two posts to go unchallenged had come from his own Rembau division.

He acknowledged standing when the motion was tabled at the Umno general assembly but said he was distracted then by party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

"I unknowingly stood up but the president pulled me I; I did not know anything,” he told a press conference after the conclusion of 2022 Umno general assembly at the World Trade Centre here today.

Zahid, who also present in the press conference, claimed they both did not expect that such motion would be tabled.

"We are shocked there is an additional motion by the first speaker, Tok Mat (Mohamad) stood so I pulled him down.

"I said he should not be involved because the speaker came from his division, from Negeri Sembilan. That is the situation,” he said.

Yesterday, Negeri Sembilan delegate Mohd Shukri Samsudin submitted an additional motion calling for party leaders to not contest the posts of president and deputy in its internal election soon.

Mohd Shukri’s motion was supported by a Terengganu delegate, Marang Umno chief Datuk Nik Dir Nik Wan Ku, who stated that Umno would have lost even more seats in the recent general election if Zahid was not its president.

Today, two delegates had rejected the proposal during their turn to debate.

Johor Umno delegate Pandak Ahmad questioned the basis of such a proposal, which he also said was not submitted according to procedure.

He added that Ahmad Zahid has indicated he was ready to fight any challengers for the top post

Bukit Bintang Umno division chief Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Mohd Rafique also agreed, saying the grassroots should have the drive to save the party who is currently undergoing a rough time.

The motion was passed by a majority vote today, the final day of the assembly.