CALLING a general election should be left to Umno’s top five leaders, youth chief Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said, as he sought to dispel suggestions that the party was divided on the issue.

“I have spoken to Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob. He has never said that he is unwilling to dissolve Parliament,” he said in closing the wing’s assembly at PWTC today.

“As such, there is no division among the leaders, but let this decision on when to hold the next election be decided by the top five: president, deputy president and three vice presidents,” he added.

He said that there is no division among the leaders on the need to hold GE15.

“We all support the prime minister, but let the leaders decide the timing.

“What is certain is that the grassroots want party elections to be held after the general election.”

Asyraf said that 190 out of 191 Umno divisions support this, including the deputy youth chief Shahril Hamdan.

“As such, don’t believe the speculation that there are differences of opinion on this,” Asyraf said.

Yesterday, deputy president Mohamad Hasan called on the party to take advantage of the disarray in the opposition and call a general election this year.

The call was backed up today by Umno Pemuda and Puteri chiefs Asyraf and Zahidah Zarik Khan in their opening speeches this morning, although Wanita chief Noraini Ahmad was more circumspect.

In contrast, Ismail told reporters in PWTC today that leaders had not discussed a general election yet. 

“This all needs to be discussed with the king. However, we will discuss it within the party first. We will discuss it at the general assembly,” Ismail said.

The Umno annual general assembly, which started yesterday, will continue until this Saturday with a total of 5,571 delegates from 191 divisions in attendance.

President Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is scheduled to deliver his policy speech at the general assembly tomorrow morning. – March 17, 2022.