Ahmad Maslan, Hasni to fight for Pontian Umno chief seat

KUALA LUMPUR - Umno Secretary-General Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan confirms he will contest for the Pontian Umno division chief post in the upcoming election.

The post is currently held by Simpang Renggam MP Datuk Seri Hasni Mohamad, the former Johor Menteri Besar.

"Its a friendly competition with Hasni at the divisional level. He has been the division chief for over 20 years," he said in a press conference at Parliament.

But Ahmad, the Pontian MP stop short at contesting the vice president post despite request from others to do so.

Ahmad said he will defend the Supreme Council member position he won in the 2018 election.

He added he did not want to split the votes of Johor representatives contesting the post.

"We have Tok Det (Padang Terap Umno division chief Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid) up north, Datuk Jo (Titiwangsa MP Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani) in the middle and Pahang has one (Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Ismail).

"That should be enough, I don't want there to be four from Johor without a single individual winning," he said.

Seven candidates were confirmed to contest for the three vice president seats in the Umno election.

Kota Tinggi MP Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin and Mahdzir were two incumbents among the seven candidates.

Others contesting were Johari, Hasni, Pengerang MP Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican and Wan Rosdy. - Awani