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The Umno divisional delegates meeting and election of leaders at the divisional and Supreme Council levels began simultaneously in all the 191 divisions at 8am today.

The meetings will be adjourned later to make way for the election process.

During the election process, every delegate would be given two sets of ballot papers to elect their leaders at the divisional and Supreme Council levels.

This is the first time that grassroots members are given a bigger voice in the Umno election following the amendment to the party constitution in 2009 to make the party more transparent, democratic as well as eliminate money politics.

About 146,000 grassroots members are given the right to determine the leaders at the divisional level and the highest party leadership compared to the previous practice where only 2,500 delegates decided the fate of the leaders at the Supreme Council level at the Umno general assembly in the federal capital.

After the conclusion of the election process, the delegates would continue their meetings while the counting process was being carried out.

All eyes on VP contest

A total of 71 candidates are contesting for 29 seats in the Supreme Council namely the post of deputy permanent chairman (three candidates), vice-president (six) and Supreme Council members (62).

NONE Attention today will certainly be focused on the six candidates vying for the vice-presidency, namely the three incumbents - Hishammuddin Hussein, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Shafie Apdal who are being challenged by Mohd Isa Abdul Samad, Mohd Ali Rustam and Mukhriz Mahathir.

The posts of president and deputy president had been declared as having been won uncontested when Najib Razak and Muhyiddin Yassin respectively were not challenged in the election this time.

The post of permanent chairperson held by Badruddin Amiruldin was also declared as having been won uncontested.

- Bernama

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