Umno’s constitutional amendment to prevent split ahead of GE15 - Zahid

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the party's planned constitutional amendment tomorrow is intended to ensure the party does not become divided ahead of the 15th general election.

The constitutional amendment will see Zahid staying longer as party president as the Umno election will be postponed until after the 15th general election.

"The amendment is intended to ensure the full strength of Umno can be mobilised without the threat and risk of a split.

"This is a forward-looking move to strengthen Umno in facing the coming challenge," he said in a Facebook post.

Umno has multiple factions but at present, they are split between those who favour an alliance with Perikatan Nasional (PN) and those who want to go solo under BN in the 15th general election.

Zahid, who has steered BN away from PN, has been able to consolidate his position and fend off possible challenges.

As a result, he will likely get his way in ditching PN going into the general election.

The Umno election was due in June last year. Under the party's constitution, the party election can also be postponed by 18 months.

That means the party polls must be held by the end of this year.

In order to prolong the postponement, an extraordinary general meeting is being called tomorrow to amend the party's constitution.

The amendment will allow the Umno polls to be called 18 months after the term of their officeholders expires or six months after a general election.

Some 2,666 delegates are expected to vote on the amendment which will be tabled by Umno vice-president Mohamed Khaled Nordin.

The 15th general election is not due until the second half of 2023.

However, the Umno leadership has been pressuring the government to call for early polls.

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