UMNO will get cracking on state elections once its party election process for the 2023-2026 term is completed, said its deputy president, Mohamad Hasan.

He said this was due to several changes at the party’s grassroots leadership level, besides taking into account new faces, especially in the Youth and Puteri wings.

“Generally, in every division nationwide 70% of the chiefs, vice-chiefs and committees are new. Five years without an election has left many over the age. Not many changes at the grassroots machinery level, only in Youth and Puteri (wings).

“Once (the leadership) has been settled, we will hold liaison meetings and get cracking (for the state polls),” he told reporters when attending the Rembau Umno Division delegates meeting, in Seremban today.

The Umno polls began on February 1 with the annual delegates conference and Umno divisional delegates elections, along with the election of Umno Supreme Council members.

Mohamad said Umno Youth and Puteri need to be given exposure and intensive training since they are among the party’s prime movers, in addition to being in sync with the machinery in managing state polls.

In another development, Mohamad, who is also Barisan Nasional (BN) deputy chairman, said communication strategies and the manifesto between parties for the state polls are among the main agenda for the unity government secretariat meeting to be held at the Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre tomorrow.

However, Mohamad, who is also Umno’s election director, said they have yet to discuss the issue of seat distribution between BN and Pakatan Harapan (PH).

IN PENANG, state Umno liaison committee chairman Musa Sheikh Fadzir said they would discuss with the state’s PH leadership about the distribution of seats after the Umno division committee election is over.

“Joint discussions will be held and we will discuss the 15 Malay-majority seats first with PKR and Amanah while the others will be discussed in round two,” he told reporters after attending the Bukit Mertajam Umno Division delegates meeting today.

The state elections this year will involve Selangor, Penang, Negri Sembilan, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu. – Bernama, March 18, 2023.