KUALA LUMPUR – Umno will only hold its party elections after the 16th general election (GE16) to ensure full focus is given to preparations for the polls and maintaining party unity.
Its secretary-general, Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, said the decision was made based on lessons from the past, where internal elections frequently triggered splits within the party.
He said such divisions could weaken Umno’s strength, not just at the top but down to the grassroots.
“We’ve learnt from previous experience – whenever we hold party elections, there’s always a clash between factions in the leadership.
“That’s how splinter parties like Semangat 46, Bersatu and PKR came about,” he said in the latest episode of Trick Lama by PODaBOOM, the podcast arm of Big Boom Media, which also publishes Scoop. The episode is out now.
The podcast is hosted by Big Boom Media CEO Datuk Zainul Arifin Mohammed Isa, group executive director Datuk Ahirudin Attan (better known as Rocky Bru), and group editor-in-chief Terence Fernandez.
Asyraf stressed that Umno does not wish to repeat the mistakes of other parties seen to be in turmoil following leadership tussles after internal elections.
“If we keep splitting over elections, how are we supposed to win the general election? Our focus now is to strengthen our machinery and strategy to secure key seats,” he said.
He also emphasised the need to manage public perception of the party carefully.
“Even though there are outside demands for leadership renewal and new faces, the party maintains that stability and unity must take precedence.
“We will never compromise on our core principles – Islam, the Malays, Bumiputera rights, the monarchy, and the Malay language. These are non-negotiable foundations of our struggle,” he said.
At the 2022 Umno General Assembly, delegates passed a motion barring contests for the party’s top two positions – president and deputy president – for the 2023–2026 term.
This allowed Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan to remain in their respective positions for the period.
However, Zahid has since expressed openness to the top two posts being contested in the 2026 party election. – June 1, 2025