MERSING: Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (pic) wants all Umno members to focus on strengthening the party rather than thinking too much about the proposal to restore the old system in the next party election.

The Umno president, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister, said that to amend the existing system that allows party members across the country to choose the top leadership, it should be brought to a special general assembly.

"The Umno elections will be held in 2026 and there is another two years. But this matter needs to be brought to the special general assembly because it involves constitutional amendments, if it is just a regulation it will be brought to the supreme council.

"However, let's not think too much about the party election. I hope that all the party leadership at the national level down to the branches concentrate on strengthening the party," he said at a press conference after officiating the Mersing Umno division delegates meeting at Sultan Ibrahim Diamond Jubilee Hall here on Saturday (July 27).

He said this when commenting on a portal's report on Umno's proposal to return to the old system which only gave the right to vote to 2,500 delegates for party elections involving the highest positions at the central level.

Also present at the press conference were Umno supreme council member Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom and Mersing Umno division chief Mohd Youzaimi Yusof.

Ahmad Zahid added however that Umno was to open any good suggestions for the party election system when the time comes.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid who is also the Rural and Regional Development Minister wants party members to respect the views of Umno advisor Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah regarding not having the need for DAP to campaign in the Nenggiri state by-election on August 17.

"We respect his view that if there are component parties who wish to help Nenggiri by-election, they should not come to help based on the number of votes of an ethnic group.

"That view should be respected by not hurting the feelings of any political party that wants to help and I am sure because Tengku Razaleigh is a veteran politician and he has been in Gua Musang for decades, so we respect his view," he said.

On Friday (July 26), according to a portal report, Tengku Razaleigh who is also the Umno Gua Musang division chief denied that he asked DAP not to come down or stay away from the Nenggiri by-election campaign, instead saying that there was no need for the party to campaign in the by-election.

In the meantime, Ahmad Zahid said Johor's desire to launch a pilot school in the state next year to shape the future of Johor education was a good initiative and should receive support from the Federal Government.

"That's a good programme even though it's under the state government, it should get support from the central government and I personally support the implementation of this learning scheme," he said.

Earlier, it was reported that Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi would be implementing the initiative in collaboration with the Johor State Education Department in line with the order of the Acting Sultan of Johor Tunku Mahkota Ismail who emphasised the importance of quality education.

Onn Hafiz was quoted as saying that the pilot school would focus on mastering Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) as well as English and as a start, the project will involve two primary schools and two secondary schools.- Bernama

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/07/27/strengthen-umno-first-no-need-to-think-of-restoring-old-party-election-system-says-zahid