There is no honeymoon for the Umno leaders who were elected into top leadership positions last night as they will immediately be tested in three upcoming by-elections.

Umno deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin and the three fresh vice-presidents have been tasked by the party boss Najib Abdul Razak to lead the BN campaign in the April 7 by-elections.

muhyiddin hishamuddin zahid shafie deputy vice presdient umno 2009 victory 270309 10 Muhyiddin said the by-elections will test if the party's effort to reform and restore waning public confidence in Umno with the election of new leaders will pay off.

"This is the time to go down and engage the electorates to convince them that the new Umno team is committed to change - a team that is opened to the views and the thinking of Malaysians from all walks of life.

"This new team is prepared to engage, sit down and talk (to the people), and not only that, we are a team that is ready to make the necessary amendments, so give us the chance," he told a press conference today.

"We'd like to tell the electorate in all three places that this new team is very much committed to change."

Muhyiddin said the three vice-presidents - Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Hishammuddin Hussein and Shafie Apdal - have all been assigned a constituency each in the election campaign.

muhyiddin hishamuddin zahid shafie deputy vice presdient umno 2009 victory 270309 07 Zahid will be in charge of Bukit Gantang, Hishammuddin in Bukit Selambau and Shafie to take on Batang Ai.

The campaign for the three by-elections will kick off this Sunday, a day after Umno wraps up its 59th annual general meeting.

Muhyiddin added that new party supremo Najib had instructed him to oversee campaigning efforts in the three by-elections.

This means that Najib, who had two unsuccessful by-election campaigns - in Permatang Puah and Kuala Terrenganu - will no longer have a direct role in next month's by-elections.

Muhyiddin also brushed aside talks that the party is split between those who are loyal to former president Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and those aligned to Najib.

The victories of former party president's son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin as Youth chief and Shahrizat Abdul Jalil - a known Abdullah's loyalist - as Wanita chief, have further reinforced the perception that the party is struggling to stay united.

Meanwhile, Najib loyalists had yesterday swept all top leadership posts, including the deputy presidency and the three VPs.

Muhyiddin said he was confident that voters would not let such allegations of a split within the party influence their judgement.

"That is why the voters have to look at Umno on a holistic basis and not from a segmental point of view. This is why we have to impress upon the electorates that they have to see, with this new line-up, that we mean business," he said.

Up to PM to decide on transfer date

Muhyiddin said the party election results have clearly indicated that party delegates seek reforms.

umno 2009 contest deputy president and vice president 260309 02 According to him, this is also reflected in speeches of the leaders and the party debate by delegates on resolutions.

Muhyiddin, who wants to be portrayed as a leader committed to changing the party, was elected as deputy president yesterday.

He crushed rival Muhammad Muhd Taib with a handsome 659 majority when he bagged 1,575 votes against the latter's 916.

By tradition, Muhyiddin is expected to become the next deputy prime minister once Najib takes over as prime minister.

Abdullah is expected to announce when he would officially hand over power to Najib tomorrow when he delivers his speech at the AGM's closing ceremony.

Asked about thIS, Muhyiddin refused to comment, aside from saying that it was the prerogative of the PM to decide when the power transfer will take place.