UMNO candidates who lost in the state polls and those aged 45 and above should not be fielded in future elections, Umno Supreme Council member Mohd Puad Zarkashi said.

He was referring to Barisan Nasional (BN) who suffered a major defeat, winning a mere 19 seats out of the 108 seats it contested in the six-state polls yesterday.

It only performed well in Negri Sembilan, where it won 14 seats. Elsewhere in other states, Umno even lost some of its traditional seats.

“Once again Umno is facing a challenging test while the party is losing the support of the Malays.

“While seeking a new formula is no easy task, Umno should not panic and leave the unity government.

“They should instead focus on the people’s economic agenda and the national economy,” Puad posted on Facebook.

Earlier, Umno veteran Idris Jusoh urged party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to step down following the party’s poor performance in yesterday’s six-state elections.

“Umno lost badly in state elections yesterday, losing 100% of the seats in Terengganu.

“Zahid Hamidi must resign,” he said in a statement posted on his Facebook page. –  August 13, 2023.