UMNO Polls: Up to MT to decide - Ismail Sabri

PETALING JAYA: It is up to the UMNO Supreme Council (MT) to decide on whether to hold party elections this year or postpone it up to 18 months, said UMNO vice-president Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

Ismail Sabri, who is also the Senior Minister (Security Cluster), said according to the party's constitution, UMNO elections must be held every three years after the term for the party leadership ends.

"According to UMNO constitution, MT is allowed to postpone (party elections) up to 18 months. The term for the current UMNO leadership will end on June 30, 2021, but it is up to MT if they want to put it (party elections) on hold."

He said this to reporters after witnessing the Memorandum of Understanding signing ceremony between Pharmaniaga Berhad and Universiti Malaysia Terengganu here, today.

UMNO is supposed to hold party elections this year but no decision has been made to date as there are different views among its leaders who insisted that the polls be held before the 15th General Election or be postponed.

Last February, UMNO president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi gave his assurance that party elections would be held this year but no date was fixed.

The last time UMNO held its internal polls was on June 30, 2018.

-- BERNAMA