Umno polls: Khaled to defend vice-president post

JOHOR BARU: Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin has officially confirmed that he will be defending his Umno vice president post in the party election.

The Johor Umno chairman, who is also Kota Tinggi MP and Higher Education Minister, said his reason was to continue serving the party.

"I am offering myself as vice president to serve and contribute to the party at a time when Umno is not at its best position and considered far from the conscience of the Malays," he said in a statement on Tuesday (Feb 21).

Mohamed Khaled added that he was determined to restore the lost trust through rehabilitation and to work together with those that believed Umno was in a weak and losing position to revive the party.

"Armed with all my strengths and weaknesses, allow me to continue the delayed efforts and remap the future goals of this party.

"God willing, with all the support and help, I will translate it in my hard work as ultimately, my purpose is only to continue serving Umno," he added.

Mohamed Khaled so far was the only incumbent out of the present three Umno vice presidents that had confirmed to defend his position in the upcoming party election.

The other two Umno vice presidents were former prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid.