A pro-Umno portal has claimed that Hishammuddin Hussein's appointment as special functions minister could be a "reminder" to younger leaders in Umno who are planning to contest against him in the party polls.

However, MyKMU did not state who these leaders are.

Yesterday, PKR leader Rafizi Ramli claimed that based on his Umno sources, Hishammuddin is trailing two others in the race for the party's three vice-president posts.

The two, he said, were Rural and Regional Development Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

In the last Umno elections, Hishammuddin, who is Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's cousin, finished last in terms of votes for vice-president, behind Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahidi who took the pole position, and Mohd Shafie Apdal.

Shafie has since gone on to form his own Sabah-based party after resigning from Umno after his suspension as vice-president.

Remember Muhyiddin?

Meanwhile, MyKMU also dismissed the speculation that Hishammuddin's appointment was a checkmate against Zahid.

"The prime minister does not need Hishammuddin in the Prime Minister's Department if he wants to oust Zahid. It would be sufficient for him to seek an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong for the ruler's consent to reshuffle the cabinet.

"This is what he (Najib) did to oust Muhyiddin Yassin as deputy prime minister two years ago, who was also Umno deputy president," it pointed out.

Muhyiddin was axed from both the government and Umno for his critical views concerning 1MDB, paving the way for Zahid to become deputy prime minister despite being a vice-president in the party.

Muhyiddin, together with former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, have formed Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), which is now a member of the opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan.