UMNO president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has ruled himself and his predecessor, Najib Razak, out of the race for the prime minister’s post after the 15th general election.

“Bossku and I have accepted the fact that it is not our fate, as ‘rezeki’ is never misplaced,” he said using Najib’s moniker and the Malay word for “fate”.

Zahid was giving his winding-up speech at the 2021 Umno General Assembly today. Najib could be seen nodding in agreement.

Zahid then said Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan may have a better fate.

“I think Tok Mat (Mohamad Hasan) has rezeki… but maybe it’s after GE16 (16th general election). At that time, it won’t be wrong,” he said. 

“But if Tok Mat’s rezeki is after GE15, that’s not wrong either.”

Zahid, who was deputy prime minister when Najib was prime minister, then turned to Mohamad and said he would have to wait. 

“What is certain is, Bossku and I have accepted it (that we won’t be the prime minister),” he said.

Earlier, he told the party delegates that Umno is fortunate as the current prime minister, Ismail Sabri Yaakob, is from their party despite Umno-Barisan Nasional losing federal power in the 2018 general election. 

“But don’t envy Ismail Sabri Yaakob, I have never been jealous of him as I had proposed his name,” he said. 

“Ask BN’s 43 MPs. To the supreme council members, I said that only one name will be proposed and that is Ismail Sabri.”

At a press conference later, Zahid declined to confirm whether Ismail would be BN’s candidate for prime minster again.

“We have many candidates. Like in Johor, our poster boy was Hasni Mohammad, but you all know the result,” he said. 

“I don’t think we will promote a poster boy for GE15 now as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong will decide later. 

“We cannot discuss this with the media.” – March 19, 2022.