KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 28 — Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today denied that the country’s largest political party is beset with factionalism, ahead of internal elections next month.
Zahid was asked to comment on claims there were three separate camps in Umno — one that supports his leadership, another that is against him, and the third a neutral group.
“There is a camp. One camp only. That is camp Umno Malaysia,” he told reporters after visiting the Mara Food Industry Complex here this morning. The Malay nationalist party is holding its division elections now and those for the top tier posts taking place in the second week of March.
However, the presidency and deputy presidency are not open for challenge, as decided by party delegates at the Umno general assembly in January.
The Umno elections are being followed closely as changes to its leadership could affect the federal government led by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister.
Umno is part of the federal ruling coalition that was formed after the general election last November ended in a deadlock.
Zahid also told reporters that there are eight candidates in the running for the three Umno vice-presidency positions, even though Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir announced his withdrawal from the race just two days ago.
Aside from Zambry, there are seven names up for the vice president post which include incumbents Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid and Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin as well as Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani.
The other four are Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican, Datuk Seri Hasni Mohammad, Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail and Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
Zahid added that 93 people are competing to be part of the Umno supreme council, two for the Wanita Umno chief, five for the party Youth chief, and six for the Puteri Umno chief.
He also said the number of people contesting to be executive council members is 61 for Wanita Umno, 122 for Umno Youth and 42 for Puteri Umno.
