Newly minted Umno vice-president Mohd Isa Samad who romped home in the veep race with the highest votes has categorically denied that his victory was due to the influence of money politics.

The federal territories minister was quoted by Bernama as saying that he won because of his popularity and that he was not surprised with the results.

"I don't know about money politics but I know the delegates voted for me...not money politics. I was confident of winning because everywhere I went (prior to the elections), I received good response from the delegates," he told reporters at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC).

The results surprised not only political observers, but those within the party as well as opposition leaders.

DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang yesterday questioned whether the shocking results of the election which saw new faces with 'tainted past' being voted in will restrict the government from keeping its promise to weed out corruption.

Malacca Chief Minister Mohd Ali Rustam, the second vice-president to be elected, also claimed ignorance to money politics saying that he deplored its use in Umno.

"It is difficult to say whether money politics was involved. The way I look at it, the campaigning followed the rules and if there was anyone involved, only they themselves know," he told Bernama.

Prime Minister and Umno president Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has said that he will not act on these allegations and will stick to the results unless evidence is provided to support claims that money was used by certain winners.