UMNO election expected in Nov 2022 - Mohamad

He said it had to be held before the expiry of the current term, which is in December next year.

As such, the elections at the branch level have to be held early, that is, in July at the latest, he told reporters after opening the delegates meetings of the Rembau UMNO Wanita, Youth and Puteri movements here today.

He was asked to comment on a proposal by several UMNO divisions for the party elections be held at least a year before the 15th General Election (GE15).

To a question whether there was a proposal made at the latest UMNO Supreme Council meeting for the top five party posts to not be contested at the coming party elections, Mohamad said there was no such proposal.

MOHAMAD-ELECTION 2 SEREMBAN

Meanwhile, on a request by Selangor UMNO for it to be given autonomy to to continue cooperation with PAS through Muafakat Nasional (MN), Mohamad said the matter would be discussed at the central level.

"The word autonomy is big, if it want to be with PAS there is no issue, (but) why ask for autonomy ... ask to negotiate directly with PAS, that's okay.

"There is no instruction from the party for us to sever or review ties with PAS," he added.

According to a media report yesterday, Selangor UMNO Liaison Committee chairman Tan Sri Noh Omar was reported to have requested for the party leadership to give autonomy for it to continue cooperation with PAS through MN.

Mohamad said the relationship between UMNO and PAS in MN was still normal and no decision had been made on the future of the two parties.

MOHAMAD-ELECTION 3 (LAST) SEREMBAN

"People think that MN is a registered organisation. It is not. MN only serves as a platform for us to establish cooperation, so far UMNO has not severed ties with PAS, nor has PAS with us (UMNO).

"MN is an cooperation to unite the Malays and Muslims, there is no binding agreement (between the two parties) but on the understanding that we, the Malays and Muslims, are not divided, not only in politics but in many other matters," he added.