Leading ladies: Noraini (left) and Nurul Amal.
KUALA LUMPUR: The fight for the right to lead Umno’s women’s wing proved to be the most intense of the three wings’ elections, with the outcome favouring incumbent Datuk Dr Noraini Ahmad.
When results started to come in on Saturday evening, it was clear that the contest was a neck-and-neck race between Noraini and her most formidable challenger in the form of her predecessor, Tan Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.
This was unlike the contest for the Youth and Puteri wings, where Dr Akmal Saleh and Datuk Nurul Amal Mohd Fauzi had respectively managed to wring out a clear lead right from the start.
For several hours, it was either Noraini leading with one vote or Shahrizat taking over, often by the same thin margin.
At one point, both obtained the same number of votes, at 12 each.
Noraini managed to widen the gap at about 11pm on Saturday, with 37 votes against Shahrizat’s 25.
At 7.41pm last night, despite the official results yet to be out, Noraini emerged as clear winner, having secured 107 votes from 189 divisions against Shahrizat’s 72.
Two Umno divisions – Tanah Merah and Kota Kinabalu – were not involved in the national-level party election as they will only hold their divisional polls after Ramadan, which is expected to begin on March 23.
Shahrizat first became Wanita chief in 2009, but chose not to defend her post in the 2018 polls, saying she wanted to let younger members lead, and handpicked Noraini as her successor back then.
Noraini wasted no time in thanking all members for electing her to lead for the new term.
In a statement on Facebook, Noraini thanked Wanita members and supporters of #SusahSenang Bersama, saying that she was fully committed to empowering women to do greater things.
“Let us continue to empower women and raising them to reach greater heights,” she said in a post.
Meanwhile, newly elected Youth chief Dr Akmal described himself as an underdog in the race.
“If you talk about Datuk Armand Azha Abu Hanifah and Datuk Mohd Shahar Abdullah, they are well known figures in the party. I am just an underdog.
“But I guess the grassroots have spoken,” he said.
Armand Azha was a supreme council member while Mohd Shahar is Paya Besar MP and former deputy finance minister.
The fourth contestant is Meor Hassan Mat Ali.
Dr Akmal, 35, said one of the things he planned to do as youth chief was to propose that an age limit be set for those holding the position.
“I plan to propose that the Umno youth chief should have an age limit of 40 years.
“I know this is not easy, but let it start with me. I believe this needs to be done if we want to create the future generations of leaders,” he said.
Thanking those who have entrusted her to shoulder the responsibility as the new Puteri chief, Nurul Amal pledged to give her utmost.
“My aim is to fight for the interests and aspirations of young women in Malaysia.
“The exco members and I will also work towards strengthening the party’s agenda and to win the trust and confidence of the younger generation,” she said.
Nurul Amal, 38, believes that the Puteri movement could play its part and contribute not just to the party, but also to the nation.
“I call on Puteri members to come together to bring greater success for the party and to our beloved Malaysia,” she added.
Meanwhile election committee chairman Tan Sri Shahrir Samad said the official results for the three wings’ election could only be announced today (Monday) as there were still several divisions which had yet to send over their results.
He also said his committee had received protests from the Kuala Kedah division over the Wanita elections.
“With the agreement of Kedah Umno, an election for the division’s women’s wing will be held before March 17,” he said without elaborating on the nature of the complaints.
Shahrir also said that divisions had until Tuesday to lodge any complaints or protest over the election process.
