Does UMNO's 3 million members want Najib as President until 2021?

ODD - UMNO recent Annual General Meeting passed a resolution that there will be no contest for the post of Prime Minister(Najib), Deputy Prime Minister(Ahmad Zahid Hamidi)...[and also the Senior Vice President(Hishamuddin)]? 3 of these CURRENT top leaders will be protected in their position until 2021...?

So, how many UMNO members were really at the AGM - 3 million - or was it just the about 2,000 delegates. Don't the rest of the UMNO members have any say on who they want for their next UMNO President...or whether they want elections for the post of President, Deputy President?

Around 2013, UMNO changed a lot of things with regard to nominations, and also who can vote in the President and the top leaders of UMNO. 

The UMNO's bonus votes and quota system were succeeded by the indirect election with an electoral college comprising electors representing the party's 191 divisions, involving 146,500 UMNO grassroot members got to vote instead of previously limited to only 2,000 over delegates. Umno has 3.3 million members. Delegates from the branches who previously could only choose division office bearers, now have the liberty to choose leaders up to the Supreme Council. And under the previous system, only 2,500 delegates were eligible to choose the party’s top line up.

All the ambitious UMNO members who plan to scale the party ranks can register to contest for any position. All they have to do is to hand over their nomination forms for the Wanita, Pemuda, Puteri wings and Supreme Council positions before the deadline for nomination submission.

The new party polling system has opened the doors for anyone registered as a party member for at least one term (three years) to contest at the divisional level.

As for the Supreme Council — members, vice presidents, deputy president and even the president — the minimum requirement is that they have to be division office bearers for at least one term (three years).^[1]

Now, to be nominated, all it requires is simply one member to propose and one to second, whilst previously a certain number of Divisions had to nominate.  [Remember how before, Tengku Razaleigh was nominated several times but did not qualify to contest because he only got nomination of one division..]

2013 leadership election

• Najib Razak won uncontested, nominated by Muhyiddin Yassin and seconded by Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor^[13]
• no other nomination paper was sent on the deadline for nomination submission

Now, apparently, about 150,000 UMNO members will have the right to vote - not just what previously was just the delegates at the AGM...about 2,000.

So, now have these 150,000 been deprived of their right to vote for the President, Deputy President,... by the delegates at the UMNO AGM? Did the about 150,000 even support this resolution???

What about all those potential candidates for the post of UMNO President, Deputy President ...all their plans to contest have been shattered...Some may have not been at the UMNO AGM...

Najib and Zahid Hamidi must be really worried about their future even in UMNO - and here is a great solution, a RESOLUTION many months(maybe even about a year) ahead of elections - to guarantee that no one in UMNO can contest for their position...so no ELECTIONS too...and the top 3 will continue to hold their position until 2021..

Is Najib and Zahid Hamidi not even confident that the 150,000 members, even if there is any challenge, will vote for them?

Interesting also is the question whether the 3 million members still want Najib, Zahid Hamidi and Hishamuddin as their top 3 leaders...?

If UMNO's alleged about 3 million members were given the right to vote for the Party President and Deputy President, then we will all know that Najib has the support of the 3 million members, at at the very least a significant majority of the 3 million members of UMNO.

Does UMNO really have 3 million members? Do they pay their own annual subscriptions? Do they even attend the Branch General Assemblies? Or maybe they are just members on paper...maybe some even do not know that they are still registered members of UMNO...

As I mentioned, if all these members had a right to vote - then this will also be the proof of the real number of UMNO members in Malaysia today.This will also be a very important indication of how much support Najib Tun Razak really have amongst the current UMNO membership today - which is very important given the recent alleged wrongdoings or scandals - the billions in his personal account, 1MDB, MAS, FELDA, ...etc. But we would never know...until 2021?

UMNO is a society ...so what UMNO and its members do is up to them...in any event, they seem to have Najib, Zahid Hamidi and Hishamuddin (unchallenged...with no elections) for many years to come...at least until 2021..

Well, if there was a need for UMNO to demonstrate UNITY for the upcoming PRU - why bother about the the next UMNO elections that comes months after the PRU?

Well, General Elections will come before the UMNO elections, and it is the belief that Najib(President) will have much power of who will be the UMNO candidates - so, if anyone stands against him, he may just not name them as candidate for MP or ADUN..

And, if in the slim chance that BN wins again, the Najib also will decide who becomes Minister, Deputy Minister, etc...

This certainly may not be the time for any aspiring candidates to go against Najib...

In any event, historically UMNO has only on a few occasions had elections for the President's post..

1951 leadership election

• Tunku Abdul Rahman, 57 votes
• Chik Mohamad Yusuf Sheikh Abdul Rahman, 11 votes
• Ahmad Fuad Hassan, 7 votes

An election for the leadership of the United Malays National Organisation was triggered by Onn Jaafar's announcement on 25 August 1951, of his intention to resign as leader after years of conflict between Onn's faction of the party and his rival factions. The party's annual general assembly, already scheduled to occur from 25 August to 26 August 1951 in Kuala Lumpur's Majestic Hotel, was organised the party leadership election at the same venue. The party announced Tunku Abdul Rahman as its new Yang di-Pertua on 26 August 1951.

Ahmad Fuad Hassan who was defeated in the party leadership election, left UMNO with his faction. He then became the first Yang di-Pertua of Pan-Malayan Islamic Organisation.

1978 leadership election

• Hussein Onn 898 votes, nominated by
• Sulaiman Ahmad "Palestin" 250 votes, nominated by 1 UMNO division

An election for the leadership of the United Malays National Organisation was prompted by outgoing Prime Minister Abdul Razak Hussein's death due in part of leukaemia. On 14 January 1976, Hussein Onn was selected to serve as interim leader.
Hussein Onn won the election as President of UMNO on 15 September 1978. However, UMNO held its party election for other Supreme Council top posts on 15 September 1978.
Sulaiman Ahmad "Palestin" was nominated by Sungei Besi division.

1987 leadership election

• Mahathir Mohamad 761 votes, nominated by 88 UMNO divisions
• Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah 718 votes, nominated by 37 UMNO divisions

Mahathir Mohamad confirmed his nomination on 9 April 1987 and won the election as President of UMNO on 24 April 1987. However, UMNO held its party election for other Supreme Council top posts on 24 April 1987.
Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah with his faction left UMNO to set up Parti Melayu Semangat 46.- Source - Wikipedia, United Malays National Organisation leadership elections

When it came to the first elections under the new system, Najib won uncontested in 2013.

WELL - this time around, it looks like Najib may not be so confident - he may be challenged for the Presidential post..

There was supposed to be UMNO elections in 2016 - but it was postponed because of the upcoming General Elections. Well, the Prime Minister decides when the General Elections would be...and surely, he would have known that there could have been UMNO elections in 2016  - after all it is now the end of 2017, and there is still no General Elections yet...If an Opposition party delays its elections because of upcoming GE, there may be logic - since they do not know when it will happen..

Does Barisan Nasional have elections? Wonder why not? 

Anyway, as mentioned, UMNO is a society and what it does or does not do depends only on its members - its about 3 million members. So, all that is mentioned here is nothing but a mere opinion of a non-UMNO member...

 

Confirmed - No challenge for top two Umno posts

Published: Today 1:13 pm     Modified: Today 4:35 pm

UMNO AGM | Umno has passed a motion for the president and deputy president's posts to remain uncontested in next year's party polls.
 
Tabled by the Youth wing, the motion was passed by a show of hands during the Umno general assembly at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) in Kuala Lumpur this afternoon.

The move, which is to keep Umno focused on the 14th general election, would allow Zahid, who is assuming the duties of the deputy president, to officially become the number two without facing challengers for the post.

Zahid is currently an Umno vice-president.

The party elections were supposed to be held in 2016, but were deferred to next year, pending GE14.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister and Umno president Najib Abdul Razak has never faced a challenge for the Umno presidency since taking up the mantle in 2009.

He won uncontested in 2009, when the nomination quota was in place. The quota system was abolished in 2013, but again Najib was uncontested.

Rompin Umno Youth representative Mohamad Sahfri Ab Aziz, who put forth the motion, also made a motion for Hishammuddin Hussein to retain his position as Umno vice-president.

Mohamad Sahfri said this was not meant to sideline the party elections but rather to show the spirit of loyalty and a winning mentality.

Umno has three vice-presidents. One of the posts remains vacant following the resignation of Mohd Shafie Apdal, who is now leading the Sabah-based opposition party Warisan.

The deputy president post, on the other hand, has remained vacant since last year after former deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin was sacked from Umno.

Muhyiddin, who was dropped from the cabinet a year earlier for his critical views of 1MDB, has since crossed over to the opposition and is the president of Bersatu, which is touted as an alternative to Umno.

Since Muhyiddin's removal, Zahid was appointed as deputy prime minister and later as the de facto Umno number two.

In an interview with The Star last month, Hishammuddin, who is Najib's cousin, expressed support for the proposal that the top two positions are not subject to contest.

“The most important thing for us is that the Umno machinery and leadership, at all levels, focuses on GE14.

“If it means that the top two posts remain uncontested because there has been a motion at the division level for these posts not to be contested, then I’m supportive of that,” Hishammuddin said.- Malaysiakini, 8/12/2017

No contest for Umno's top three as party eyes big win at general election

Shannon Teoh,Malaysia Bureau Chief

 

KUALA LUMPUR - The top three positions in Umno will not be contested at its next internal polls, as Malaysia's ruling party bids to stamp out infighting ahead of a crucial general election due by August.

In a resolution passed during the party's annual congress on Friday (Dec 8), president Najib Razak and acting deputy president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will automatically be the most senior leaders in the party in the next term.

Vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein was also granted the position of senior vice-president without contest.

"We took the decision... to accept the senior vice-presidency should be given to Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein," Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid told a press conference after the party's supreme council resolution was passed unanimously.

Mr Hishammuddin said he felt "relief and pride" that the leadership lineup had received the blessing of over 2,000 delegates attending the Umno meet.

"This will ensure full focus on the general elections," he said.

Mr Zahid came in first in the VP race in 2013, while Mr Hishammuddin - Datuk Seri Najib's cousin - narrowly scraped through to defend one of three vice-presidencies.

The resolution initially proposed that only Prime Minister Najib and deputy premier Ahmad Zahid maintain their party positions uncontested. But delegates speaking at the general assembly called for Defence Minister Hisham to also be given a free pass at party polls due by April.

The party elections were originally due by October 2016 but they were delayed to prepare for a national ballot that has yet to be called. The Straits Times understands that Umno will write to the Registrar of Societies to allow the party to further delay its internal vote so that it does not clash with the general election.

Party sources told The Straits Times that the race for the vice-presidency is likely to see a crowded field next year. Despite his seniority in the party, Mr Hishammuddin had slipped down the pecking order at the last polls, and other ambitious warlords are aiming to leapfrog him.

The move on Friday ringfences Mr Najib and his top lieutenants, amid reports and speculation that they have been jockeying to increase their influence in the party, a tussle which could intensify if the premier fails to win a resounding mandate at the general election. - The Straits Times, 8/12/2017

 

UMNO 2016 party polls postponed for 18 months - Najib

Rahimah Abdullah dan Wan Syamsul Amly, Astro Awani | June 26, 2015 19:24 MYT

UMNO 2016 party polls postponed for 18 months, focus now to strengthen BN - Datuk Seri Najib Razak

 

KUALA LUMPUR: The UMNO's party elections, initially scheduled next year, has been postponed for 18 months, said UMNO president Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

The decision is made to strengthen the Barisan Nasional ahead of the 14th general election, Najib said at a press conference after chairing the UMNO Supreme Council meeting today.

Najib said such postponement had been done during his predecessors' time.

“It is important for us to prioritise the people, their needs, policies, grassroots and strengthening the party so that UMNO will be stronger ahead of the next general election,” he said.

‎UMNO deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had before this suggested that UMNO should not postpone its party polls but to hold it according to the time set by the party’s constitution.

Muhyiddin also suggested for the UMNO constitution to be amended next year to enable younger generation to contribute and play a bigger role in the party.

“I believe UMNO will not split if the election is held. UMNO leaders are matured enough to handle it,” said Muhyiddin had said during his speech at the official opening of the UMNO party wings at the Putra World Trade Centre last year.

UMNO held its party election in October, 2013 after it was postponed to pave way for the 13th General Election. The election was initially scheduled to be held in 2012.

The current UMNO leadership mandate will end in 2016 while the current parliament mandate will end in 2018.

Meanwhile, when asked why the 18-months postponement is announced so early, Najib said it was to allow party members to work on their KPIs.

‘If we don’t decide now, many will speculate,” he added.

On speculations of a Cabinet reshuffle after the Aidilfitri celebration, Najib said all quarters should be patient.- Astro Awani, 26/6/2015

 

June 2015 - that was the date Najib announced postponement of UMNO polls for 18 months...???