Najib accepts nomination for Umno presidency

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak confirmed on Friday his candidacy for the post of Umno president in the party election next month.

Najib's candidacy forms were submitted by his Political Secretary, Datuk Shafei Abdullah, to Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor at about 4.20 pm at the Umno headquarters at the Putra World Trade Centre, here.

Also present was the Senior Private Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Abdul Aziz Kasim.

Candidates eligible to contest for posts in the Umno Supreme Council (MT) and excos in the various Umno wings have up to Friday midnight to hand over their confirmation or rejection letters after the letters and forms were distributed on Jan 29.

"Although Datuk Seri Najib has no challenger (for the post of president), under the Umno constitution, Datuk Seri Najib must fill up the forms as proof that he is willing to accept the nominations from the divisions," said Tengku Adnan. In addition, Tengku Adnan said, candidates who were eligible to contest the posts of deputy president and vice-presidents had also submitted their acceptance forms.

So far, about 70 per cent of the candidacy forms that were given to the eligible candidates had been returned.

For the post of deputy president, it will be a three-cornered contest between International Trade and Industry Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Mohd Yassin, Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam, and Rural and Regional Development Minister Tan Sri Muhammad Muhd Taib.

The three vice-presidents' posts are being contested by Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar, former Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Tan Sri Isa Abd Samad, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim, former Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Jamaludin Jarjis, and former Melaka Chief Minister Tan Sri Rahim Tamby Chik.

Meanwhile, Datuk Kamilia Ibrahim, who won the post of Wanita Umno deputy uncontested when incumbent Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil decided not to defend her post, promised to discharge her responsibilities in the best manner possible.

Shahrizat had confirmed that she was not defending her Wanita post and as Umno Supreme Council member two days ago, saying that she would only contest the post of Wanita Umno head next month.

She will battle long-time Wanita chief Datuk Paduka Rafidah Aziz.
Kamilia, who is the Kuala Kangsar Wanita Umno head, thanked Shahrizat for giving way to her to become the Wanita Umno vicehead without contest.

"I promise to discharge my responsibilities as provided by the constitution," she told reporters before attending the Wanita Umno Exco meeting, here on Friday.

Source - Bernama