Facing a possible six-way fight for the three Umno vice-president posts, the incumbents have declared that maintaining the status quo will be in the best interest of the party and its members.

NONEThe trio - Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Hishammuddin Hussein and Mohd Shafie Apdal (left) - had earlier submitted their nomination papers at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) today to defend their posts, as well as served as proposers for each others’ nominations.

When asked if maintaining the status quo in regards to their positions would be best for Umno as a whole, Ahmad Zahid replied, “that is the general assumption”.

However, he denied, during a joint press conference later, that the three are running mates with each other.

Shafie, meanwhile, stressed that three of them are “very comfortable” with working with each other, were successful in delivering Umno a win the federal government  in the last general election.

“However, the comfortable feeling among us should not be construed as us being a team. There is no team in Umno," he added.

Three others hopefuls have announced they will join in the fray and challenge the three incumbents -  Felda chairperson Isa Samad, former Malacca chief minister Mohd Ali Rustam and Kedah Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir.

Asked their view on having Mukhriz as their opponent, Shafie said that it is “not a new challenge” to have other rivals in the contest, as this is part of politics.

Zahid then replied that they are open to anyone to offer their candidacy for the vice-president post, and it is up to the delegates to decide the outcome.

Even so, he claimed that they are confident of defending their posts.

Despite speculation by Umno-owned daily Utusan Malaysia that Ali Rustam would withdraw from the contest, the latter dispelled such rumours when he showed up at the PWTC to submit his nomination papers.

He submitted his papers at 3.45pm, after which he proceeded to officially announce the matter to waiting media.