Najib, Muhyiddin on the starting blocks

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 19 - Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and International Trade and Industry Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin have qualified to contest the Umno presidency and deputy presidency after obtaining nominations that exceeded the required quota.

As at 7pm tonight, Najib received 59 nominations after all the 15 Umno divisions that held their meetings today nominated him for the top Umno post.

Najib is the only candidate nominated for the post after 59 of the 191 Umno divisions held their delegates meeting since Oct 10.

Muhyiddin, who was the first to receive the requisite 39 nominations for the deputy presidency earlier today, received four nominations today from the Umno divisions in Gerik, Lenggong, Ledang and Bakri, raising his total to 42.

The other two candidates for the deputy presidency, namely Rural and Regional Development Minister Tan Sri Muhammad Muhamad Taib and Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam also received nominations today.

Mohd Ali received nine new nominations to raise his total to 12 while Muhammad had two nominations today to raise his total to five.

The minimum nominations needed to contest the Umno president's post is 58 while a candidate vying for the deputy president's post needs at least 39 nominations.

In the race to be an Umno vice-president, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin has qualified to contest after obtaining six more nominations from 10 Umno divisions today.

This brings his tally to 23 nominations so far, making him the fourth leader to qualify to contest for the post.

The others are Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.

A candidate needs at least 20 nominations to contest the post.

Khaled, a supreme council member, said he was grateful for having reached the qualification quota.

"The nominations showed that they are confident that I'm capable of contributing to the party," he told reporters at a Hari Raya open house here.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar has received 11 nominations and former Federal Territories minister Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad received six nominations.

There was no change in the number of nominations received by the other candidates namely former Perlis menteri besar Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim (five), Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim (five); former Science, Technology and Innovations minister Datuk Seri Dr Jamaludin Jarjis (three), Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan (two) and Kelantan Umno Liaison chairman Tan Sri Annuar Musa (one).

In the Wanita Umno election, the movement's deputy head Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, who had previously stated that she had no intention of contesting the Wanita head's post, has received four more nominations for the top post raising her total to 36 nominations.

Shahrizat received the nominations from the Gopeng, Kudat, Kepala Batas and Tanjung Wanita Umno divisions. She needs only three more nominations to meet the minimum quota of 39 nominations.

Incumbent Wanita Umno head Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz received four nominations to raise her total to 75, and Shahrizat too received four nominations for the vice-head post.

The pair received nominations from the Parit Sulong, Pasir Salak, Ayer Hitam and Pulai Wanita Umno divisions.
For the post of vice-head, Kuala Kangsar Wanita Umno head Datuk Kamilia Ibrahim received two more nominations from Kepala Batas and Gopeng, raising her total to 26.

Shahrizat and Kamilia are now eligible to contest for the Wanita Umno vice-head post where a minimum quota of 20 nominations are needed.

Meanwhile, Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said received one more nomination from the Tanjung division to raise her total to six.

Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Datuk Maznah Mazlan is a new face in the contest for the Wanita Umno vice-head post when she received her first nomination from the Kudat Wanita Umno division.

Meanwhile, Johor Wanita Umno head Datuk Halimah Mohamed Sadique remains with two nominations and Wanita Central Exco member Dr Norraesah Mohamad received one nomination.

A total of 103 out of the 191 Wanita Umno divisions have held their respective delegates meeting so far.– Bernama