Umno AGM postponed amid internal strife, anger at govt over floods
The Umno AGM scheduled for mid-January next year has been postponed, with the party citing floods.
It comes amid internal strife within Umno over party elections and anger at the Umno-led government over its flood response.
In a statement today, Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan said the party's supreme council and organising committee agreed to postpone the general assembly to help with the floods.
"Flooding is occurring in many areas and the Umno leadership and grassroots are asked to help flood victims.
The Umno AGM scheduled for mid-January next year has been postponed, with the party citing floods.
It comes amid internal strife within Umno over party elections and anger at the Umno-led government over its flood response.
In a statement today, Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan said the party's supreme council and organising committee agreed to postpone the general assembly to help with the floods.
"Flooding is occurring in many areas and the Umno leadership and grassroots are asked to help flood victims.
"Several divisions such as Kota Raja and Klang have also not had their annual meetings because they have been hit by floods," Ahmad said.
He added that Umno feels the pain of flood victims and hopes that the party's machinery and federal and state governments will continue to help them.
Postponing the Umno AGM will give time for the party's warring factions to regroup and build support.
Zahid pushing for snap polls
Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is pushing for snap polls to be held quickly, while his rivals want party elections to be held first.
Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob is publicly taking a neutral stance on the matter, but his supporters in the party are chiefly against Zahid.
There is widespread public anger against Ismail Sabri and his government, over what critics claim to be a slow and incompetent response to flooding, particularly in the Klang Valley.
The premier was also widely criticised after photos of him cutting a cake at the Bera Umno division meeting on Saturday morning while the Klang Valley was being inundated by floods went viral.
Zahid's camp can capitalise on the public resentment of the government to rally the party behind him.
However, delaying the Umno AGM also gives Ismail Sabri and his supporters time to try and salvage the situation and soothe public anger while also shoring up their bases outside the Klang Valley.
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