UMNO will determine PM and DPM candidates in this election - Annuar Musa

The Ketereh Member of Parliament explained that UMNO needs to hold party elections this June after the last term expires in accordance with the party's constitution which gives a three -year mandate to the Supreme Working Council.

"God willing, the PM and DPM candidates from UMNO will be decided around this June through elections by UMNO members themselves.

"UMNO will elect a president and a deputy president who have all the appropriate qualities and qualifications to assume the duties of PM and DPM, when the time comes.

"Allah SWT decides everything," he said in a post on Facebook, on Thursday.

Annuar explained that as a party that adheres to the rules and relies on the voice of the grassroots, UMNO will leave it to its members to determine its leadership.

Recently, through the 2020 General Assembly which ended on Sunday, UMNO insisted that it would contest using the Barisan Nasional (BN) logo and would not work with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) in the 15th General Election (GE15).

Following the decision, many observers and political analysts began to give the view that UMNO should nominate its prime ministerial and deputy prime ministerial candidates to be featured in GE15.

"I see this positively. It means that many still see UMNO as one of the parties that need to feature the candidate for the country's main leader.

"I would like to say that UMNO has its own way. Don't worry too much," he added.

After the recent UMNO General Assembly, Rembau Member of Parliament, Khairy Jamaluddin asked UMNO to hold party elections this year to resolve the party's internal crisis.

Astro AWANI previously reported that UMNO is expected to postpone the party election scheduled to be held this year.

The report, quoting a source, said the postponement was proposed in preparation for the general election which is expected to be held after the end of the emergency period on August 1.

The source explained that the motion to postpone the UMNO 2021 Election was tabled in the UMNO Supreme Working Council (MKT) meeting in Janda Baik, Pahang on February 19.

According to the UMNO Constitution, the MKT has the power to postpone the election for up to 18 months from the date a new election should be held.