Umno supreme council member Nazri Abdul Aziz has reportedly expressed his support for Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as the party's new president, amidst calls for veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah to contest the position in the June 30 party polls.

In a Free Malaysia Today (FMT) interview published yesterday, the former tourism and culture minister also said that he supported Umno information chief Annuar Musa as deputy president.

FMT quoted Nazri as saying that he would not contest any central post.

"I had ceased contesting since 2000. I have no intention to contest and I want only to assist the party," added the six-term parliamentarian.

Nazri also reportedly supported three candidates for the Umno vice-presidency: Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin and supreme council members Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Johari Abdul Ghani.

In total there are seven candidates for the three posts of vice-president. Also in the running are former Johor menteri besar Mohamed Khaled Nordin, Perlis BN chairperson Shahidan Kassim, Umno supreme council member Tajuddin Abdul Rahman and former education minister Mahdzir Khalid.

Nazri has been known to be a staunch supporter of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, who resigned as BN chairperson and Umno president immediately after the coalition’s defeat in the May 9 general election.

Zahid was subsequently appointed as acting Umno president and acting BN chairperson, while Hishammuddin Hussein took over Zahid’s former role as the acting deputy president for Umno.

Zahid and businessperson Rahmat Azim Abdul Aziz have confirmed their decisions to run for the presidency.

However, Tengku Razaleigh, who is also known as Ku Li, has only hinted that he might run for the party presidency.

Onn Hafiz Ghazi, political secretary to Hishammuddin and great-grandson to Umno founder Onn Jaafar, backed Tengku Razaleigh as president.

Aside from Annuar, ousted Negeri Sembilan menteri besar Mohamad Hasan is also eyeing the deputy presidency.