Kedah Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir said he would campaign for Umno president Najib Abdul Razak and his deputy, Muhyiddin Yassin if both leaders are challenged in the party election this year.

He said he did not see anyone else qualified for the two top party posts and capable of competing with the two leaders.

NONE "If the top party posts, namely that of the president's, deputy president's and the three vice-presidents are being challenged, I perceive that Najib and Muhyiddin will retain their posts.

“I personally will campaign for them," he told reporters after the swearing-in of the political secretary to the Kedah Menteri Besar at the Menteri Besar's Office at Wisma Darul Aman, in Alor Setar today.

At the ceremony, former Kedah Exco member, Azimi Daim, 49, was sworn-in as the political secretary to the Kedah Menteri Besar.

Mukhriz ( above ) disclosed this when asked to comment on the call that the posts of Umno president and deputy president should not be contested at the party general assembly in October to further strengthen the party in facing the 14th general election, besides avoiding factionalism in the party.

Mukhriz, who is also the deputy chairperson of the Kedah Umno liaison committee, said that personally he felt that as a party that practiced democracy, every post in the party could be contested.

"It is up to the Umno members themselves to decide. For me, whether there is a contest or not, it is the rights of the Umno members themselves.

“Even if there is a contest, I am confident it will not affect the position of Najib and Muhyiddin at all," he said.

- Bernama