GERIK, 19 Oct 2008: International Trade and Industry Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has qualified to contest for the Umno deputy presidency after obtaining the required 39 nominations.
The Gerik Umno division, which held its delegates’ meeting today, nominated Muhyiddin for the post.
The nomination for the other contenders for the post – Rural and Regional Development Minister Tan Sri Muhammad Muhd Taib and Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam – is unchanged at three nominations each.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak is still the sole candidate for the Umno president’s post with 45 nominations so far, including a nomination from the Gerik Umno division.
A candidate requires at minimum of 58 nominations to be eligible to contest for the president’s post and 39 nominations for the post of vice-president.
The Gerik Umno division also nominated Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal for the vice-presidency.
Hishammuddin is still leading the list of 11 aspirants for the three vice-president’s posts with 40 nominations so far, followed by Shafie (27) and Ahmad Zahid (23).
The nomination tally for the other vice-president hopefuls remained unchanged.
They are Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Khaled Nordin (17 nominations), Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar (8), former Perlis Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim (5), Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim (5).
Former Federal Territories Minister Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad (4), former Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis (3), Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan (2) and Kelantan Umno liaison chief Tan Sri Annuar Musa (1). — Bernama
