UMNO president Najib Razak and vice-president Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will not be challenged for the top two positions in the party polls next year.

At the 71st Umno general assembly today, delegates unanimously voted for there to be no contest for the positions of president and deputy president when the party holds its elections.

Umno permanent chairman Badruddin Amiruldin read out the motion at the end of the morning’s debate session at the assembly in Kuala Lumpur today.

“The motion is that the post of president held by Najib Razak and that of deputy president Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will not be contested in the party election,” Badruddin said.

The motion, which was first proposed by Umno Youth, was unanimously agreed to by delegates and passed at the assembly.

Umno was due to hold elections this year but postponed it in light of the 14th general election that must be held by next August.

Zahid is currently the Umno vice-president but is also carrying out the duties of the deputy president following Muhyiddin Yassin’s sacking last year.

The deputy prime minister and Hishammuddin Hussein is one of the two remaining Umno vice-presidents after Shafie Apdal’s resignation last year.

Both Muhyiddin and Shafie had voiced concerns over Najib’s role and handling of the 1Malaysia Development Bhd scandal.

Speaking to reporters later, Zahid thanked the delegates for their confidence in him.

He said that initially, there was also a plan to reserve one of the three vice-president posts for current incumbent Hishamuddin.

“We accept that Hishammuddin should be the senior vice-president. This is so that we can focus on the 14th general election.”

However, the assembly only agreed that the posts of president and deputy president would not be contested.

Hishammuddin, who is also special functions minister, said today’s motion would allow Umno members to focus on winning the general election instead of the party polls.

“I hope that after this, no one tries to pit us against each other anymore as there is now an understanding between us.” – December 8, 2017.