KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 28 — Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has indicated that the Malay nationalist party might hold its internal elections earlier than the six-month deadline in May 2023.
He also said he will leave it up to party delegates to decide if the top two party positions should be open for challenge, including his own.
“This means there is no need to wait for a period of six months for party elections. It may be held earlier,” he said in an interview last night on NRChannel TV's YouTube channel.
He pointed out that the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan will begin in March, followed by Hari Raya Aidilfitri and the haj season.
Earlier this year, the Registrar of Societies (RoS) allowed Umno to amend its constitution to enable the party to hold internal elections at all levels not more than six months after a general election.
The RoS also told the party to do so in one general election term.
As GE15 was held in November, the six-month period for when Umno is due to hold its party polls would be in May next year.
Zahid said the divisional and central leadership elections would be carried out at the same time as the 191 divisions’ conference nationwide.
In the interview, Zahid was also asked if the party presidency and deputy presidency would be up for contest this time.
“As a democrat, I will leave it to the delegates to decide,” he replied.
Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan said there is no decision yet on whether the two top posts would be contested and said the party will wait for its supreme council meeting on January 12 next year.
The Umno general assembly is scheduled to be held from January 11 to January 14.
