UMNO president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is set to have full control of the largest Malay party with leaders aligned to him gaining wins in the party’s polls, political analysts said.

Analysts said Noraini Ahmad’s retaining of the women’s wing chief position as well as Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh becoming Umno Youth chief, showed that Zahid has further solidified his position in the party. 

This trend is set to follow in the elections for the three vice presidents’ post and the supreme council.

“The victory in the two main wings of the party shows that the group that supports the leadership of the party, especially Zahid, won. 

“The victories in the women’s and youth wings will translate to support for the president’s group in the vice-president’s contest and also the Supreme Council polls,” Ilham Centre executive director Hisommudin Bakar told The Malaysian Insight. 

Eight candidates are vying for the three vice-president posts in the ongoing Umno elections, while several big names including International Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz and former law minister Zaid Ibrahim are vying for a spot among the 25 seats in the party’s Supreme Council.

In Saturday’s polls, incumbent women’s wing chief Noraini Ahmad defended her position, thwarting the comeback of veteran politician and her predecessor Shahrizat Abdul Jalil. It was also a comfortable win for Malacca state executive councillor Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh becoming the Umno Youth chief.

Hisommudin said that the two main wings’ victories were crucial for Noraini as well as for Akmal. 

“The victory means a lot to Noraini, defeating the former women’s chief, Shahrizat, shows that her leadership is accepted by Umno women representatives across the country.  

“Despite a close fight in the early stages, Noraini managed to emerge victorious. 

“At the youth level, it turned out that the candidate who received the blessing of former chief Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki won big, leaving his three other challengers far behind,” he said. 

Akmal, who has a medical degree from Russian State Medical University, has been Umno Youth vice-chief since 2018 and is currently a Malacca executive councillor.

The Umno general assembly early this year passed a resolution for the party president and his deputy to return uncontested.

This was followed by complaints from several party members, who lodged a complaint with the Registrar of Societies (ROS) claiming the resolution was invalid and against the party’s constitution.

Last week, the Home Ministry, which oversees ROS, cleared Umno of any wrongdoing.  

International Islamic University of Malaysia’s Tunku Mohar Tunku Mohd Mokhtar also echoed Hisommudin’s view, saying Noraini’s and Akmal’s win further strengthens Zahid’s position within the party. 

“It allows Zahid to stamp his legitimacy in the party and helps him regain the support of the weakened party,” the political science assistant professor said. 

State polls are Umno’s real test

University of Tasmania’s Professor of Asian Studies James Chin said that Zahid, who is now the Deputy Prime Minister in the Anwar Ibrahim-led unity government, had already proven his dominance and has exerted his power by sidelining party bigwigs like Hishammuddin Hussein, Khairy Jamaluddin, Noh Omar and even Ismail Sabri Yaakob. 

He now expects “Zahid’s people” to win the remaining positions in the party.

“The fact that he managed to push through the no-contest motion for the top two posts already showed that he had the upper hand in the party. 

“I expect most of his people to win in the Umno elections, thus controlling the party will be much easier,” Chin said. 

Chin, however, feels that the real test does not only lie in the party’s election but instead in the upcoming state elections. 

He said that Zahid and his team’s strength will be assessed in the soon-to-be-held state polls. 

“Since Zahid secured his position as president in the party without even having the need for a ballot, it is no surprise that he will help his supporters win. 

“But the true result will be seen in the six state elections.

“That is far more critical than internal party election results,” he said. – March 13, 2023.