KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 14 — Umno supreme council member Datuk Seri Ahmad Said defended the motion to bar contests for the party’s top positions in the next internal election as in line with the party’s constitution.

Ahmad, who is also Terengganu Umno chief, said that the move to maintain the current leadership was important as six state elections will be held this year.

"There’s no problem at all, it was an additional motion that was proposed by the delegates and it was approved through voting,” he said during a press conference at the party’s 2022 annual general assembly (PAU).

He also confirmed that the motion was overwhelmingly approved by the assembly.

"More than 90 per cent of the delegation stood up and raised their hands, not even 30 people against the motion,” he added.

Earlier today, several Umno delegates debating in the 2022 Umno general assembly (PAU) rejected the proposal that there be no contest for top positions in the upcoming party elections.

Yesterday, Negeri Sembilan candidate Mohd Shukri Samsudin submitted an additional motion calling for party leaders not to contest the posts of president and deputy president at its upcoming party election.

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 Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was not its president.