Nothing to stop Umno members from contesting top posts, says information chief

Umno will not stop its members from contesting the office of president and deputy president despite the proposal for the top posts to go unchallenged, party information chief Isham Jalil says. 

Despite the call made by 140 Umno division chiefs – representing more than two-thirds of the 191 divisions – he said members had the right to contest the posts, as enshrined in the party's constitution. 

"I, together with Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan, have already stated many times that we have had no proposals for an amendment to the constitution to allow posts to go unchallenged. 

"So whoever wants to contest can contest," he said at a press conference on the sidelines of the Umno general assembly in Kuala Lumpur today. 

The 140 Umno division chiefs said yesterday that the president's post, currently held by Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, should go unchallenged. 

Representing the group, Wangsa Maju Umno division chief Mohd Shafie Abdullah said the division heads also agreed that the deputy president’s post should not be contested.

He said Umno's focus should be on strengthening the party to face the six state elections expected to be held this year.

Former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin later slammed the calls, calling for a "stop to the madness". 

"I believe the president is a fighter who will not back down from a challenge. Open a space for contest," the former Rembau MP said in an Instagram post. 

"Don't cause the death of democracy in Umno." 

Isham said the proposal announced by Shafie might have been to prevent confusion in the party, given that Umno had recently joined a coalition government seen as still fragile. 

"I suggest that those who wish to contest announce their intentions early," he said. 

"Don't hide or talk behind backs."