Umno Youth said today it still respects Muhyiddin Yassin as the Umno deputy president. This came on the heels of a motion to nominate deputy prime minister and party vice-president Ahmad Zahid Hadmidi for the post at the next Umno elections.

Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin ( photo ) said Umno Youth still respected Muhyiddin as the party deputy president despite him being dropped as deputy prime minister last month.

"The Umno deputy president's position is elected, not appointed. Our stand is that we still respect Muhyiddin as the Umno deputy president," Khairy told the press after an Umno Youth exco meeting in Kuala Lumpur today.

Yesterday, the Keningau Umno division in Sabah gave full backing to Zahid to contest the party's deputy president post at the next Umno elections scheduled for 2018.

The division’s chief, Sairin Karno, was reported by Berita Harian Online today as saying that the support was in line with Zahid being the No 2 in the country's administration.

“We have the responsibility to support Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak as he is the No 1 leader in the party and administration.

“Umno Keningau also supports Zahid as the next deputy president now that he is the DPM and an Umno vice-president,” Sairin reportedly said.

Zahid officiated the Umno Keningau division meeting yesterday. Also present were Sabah deputy chief minister Yahya Hussin, Pensiangan Umno division chief Abdul Ghani Yasin and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Joseph Kurup.

Wait for division meetings

Umno president Najib Abdul Razak had announced the postponement of party elections - scheduled for next year - for 18 months.

Najib said the reasons, apart from strengthening the party, were to ensure that Umno and other BN component parties were stronger for the next general election.

"We must prioritise our services for the rakyat, give focus on the rakyat's needs, whether at the policy or grassroots level.

"We must (also) focus on strengthening the party and do what's necessary so that Umno and our friends are stronger in facing the coming general election," Najib said.

The last party election was held in October 2013 in which Najib won his post uncontested.

However, a few Umno divisions have asked for the postponement to be cancelled and Khairy said he was aware of these grouses as well

"We have discussed this matter and I have asked (the youth exco members) not to talk about it first.

“We will wait until the division meetings ( photo ) are over and then we will announce our stand. As for now, we will follow the Umno supreme council decisions," Khairy added.