GE14 | Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has proven to be a worthy deputy due to his loyalty to caretaker prime minister Najib Abdul Razak.

This was what caretaker tourism and culture minister Nazri Abdul Aziz said, as quoted by Sin Chew Daily.

"The person who is loyal as well as qualified to help the premier to govern the country is none other than Zahid himself.

"No political earthquake has ever occurred in the past three years (since Zahid was made the deputy premier), no rumour as such being circulated. All is good. He has proven himself," he said during the launching of a digital library in Bagan Datuk, where Zahid is the incumbent MP.

Nazri, who pledged his support for Zahid, added that they established the rapport when they were part of the Umno Youth wing.

In July 2015, Zahid was appointed as deputy prime minister after his predecessor Muhyiddin Yassin was dropped from Najib's cabinet following the latter's criticism of the 1MDB issue.

During the 2017 annual assembly, Umno passed a motion for the president and deputy president's posts to remain uncontested in next year's party polls. 

The move was to prevent any internal fight ahead of the general election.

Najib, who is also the Umno president, has never faced a challenge for the Umno presidency since taking up the mantle in 2009.

He won uncontested in 2009, when the nomination quota was in place. The quota system was abolished in 2013, but again Najib won contested.