Former Umno president Najib Abdul Razak congratulated Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for being elected as the new president of the party for the 2018-2021 term.

He also congratulated Negeri Sembilan Umno liaison committee chairperson and Rembau Umno chief Mohamad Hasan for winning the contest for deputy president’s post at the party polls yesterday.

“It is time for us to close ranks for the sake of religion, race and country,” he tweeted today.

Zahid, who is also Bagan Datuk Umno chief and formerly vice-president assuming the duties of party president, garnered 93 votes to defeat his two main contenders, former Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin who secured 51 votes, and party veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah who obtained 23 votes.

Mohamad was elected as the deputy president after receiving 110 votes to defeat Umno Information chief and Ketereh MP Annuar Musa, who only managed to secure 47 votes as of late last night.

Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor in a press conference last night said that the complete Umno election results would be announced today.

This was the first time the party’s president post was contested in more than three decades.

In 1987, then-prime minister and Umno president Dr Mahathir Moha­mad recorded a slim 43-vote win over Tengku Razaleigh.

- Bernama