Umno vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein today described a claim that there was a directive from the top leadership to maintain the three incumbents in the slots for vice president at the party polls on Oct 19, as absurd.

azlanHe said the claims were contradictory to the transformations being initiated by the party including to increase the number of delegates.

"If the president, deputy president, vice-presidents and supreme council have agreed that there should be no quota and to optimise the number of delegates to 150,000 which is an increase of 6,000 percent, to say we have a restriction pact is absurd because it contradicts our earlier initiative," he told reporters after meeting with Umno division members in Kuala Kangsar, Perak today.

He was asked to comment on the claim posted online by a blogger, which were carried by some news portals.

Admittedly the three vice-presidents felt after having collaborated in many endeavours, that they were a good combination to carry on what they had been doing, but not more than that, he assured.

In this regard, Hishammuddin, who is also defence minister, pointed out that the election would be an open process and it was left to the delegates to evaluate and select their candidates without being emotional.

- Bernama