Umno polls: Let’s work to improve party’s image, says new Umno Youth chief Akmal

Photo from Facebook

PETALING JAYA: Umno Youth members have to work together to improve public perception and restore confidence in the party, says newly-appointed Umno Youth Chief Dr Akmal Saleh.

"Thank you to all Umno Youth members all across Malaysia for electing me to lead the party's youth wing. I am confident we will be victorious in helping people of this nation," he said in a statement on Facebook on Sunday (March 12).

Dr Akmal triumphed over three other candidates in the Umno Youth elections with unofficial results showing he had obtained 102 votes from 191 divisions and official results showing he had received 36 votes.

The other three candidates were former deputy finance minister Datuk Mohd Shahar Abdullah; Umno supreme council member Datuk Armand Azha Abu Hanifah; and Meor Hassan Mat Ali.

For the Wanita Umno wing, Datuk Dr Noraini Ahmad returned as its chief for the new term, beating Tan Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil in an intense fight.

Unofficial results show Noraini secured 106 votes from 191 divisions while official results at the party headquarters stated she secured 48 votes, exceeding Shahrizat's 31 votes.

Shahrizat first became the Wanita Umno wing chief in 2009 but chose not to defend her post in the 2018 Umno polls, saying she wanted to let its younger members lead and handpicked Noraini to be her successor at the time.

For the Puteri wing, Datuk Nurul Amad Mohd Fauzi is taking a strong lead over the other five contenders securing 50 votes from 101 divisions.

Second in the lead is Datuk Khaidirah Abu Zahar, better known as Dira, who secured 24 votes.

Nurul Amal, who is popularly known as Along, was the wing's former deputy chief.

The official results will be announced by election committee chairman Tan Sri Shahrir Abdul Samad once all votes are tallied and tabulated.

Umno elections are being held from Feb 1 to March 18, with the branch-level elections being held from Feb 1 to 26, followed by the elections for the Wanita, Youth and Puteri wings at the national level on March 11.

The Umno divisional delegates’ meetings and committee elections, as well as contests for seats in the Umno supreme council, will be held simultaneously nationwide on March 18.