KUALA LUMPUR: The 2022 Umno General Assembly today approved all motions including an additional one proposing the posts of party president and deputy president to remain unchallenged in the upcoming party election.
Umno information chief Isham Jalil confirmed the matter in a posting shared on his Facebook page today.
"Alhamdullilah, all motions including the additional motion was accepted and supported by almost all delegates inside the Dewan Merdeka of the Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre," Isham wrote.
The posting was accompanied by a clip showing mixed reactions among party delegates when it was announced that all the motions presented during this assembly were passed.
Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Ahmad Said told reporters that all of the motions including the additional motion for "no contest" involving the posts of party president and deputy was put a vote.
"Party delegates who supported in favour of the motion either stood up or had raised their hands," he said.
Ahmad, who is the former Terengganu menteri besar, claimed 90 per cent of the party delegates inside the hall supported the motion for the incumbent party president and deputy to keep their respective posts.
The posts of the party president and his deputy are currently being held by Bagan Datuk member of parliament Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Rembau MP Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan respectively.
The additional motion for the top two positions in the party remained uncontested was passed in the wake of allegations that this assembly, which was held after Umno's and Barisan Nasional's (BN) crushing defeat in the 15th General Election (GE15) last year, was marred by the presence of "phantom delegates" claim.
Former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin claimed the "phantom delegates" were being brought in to add to the numbers of people who will lend their support for the voice vote for the additional motion.
Khairy said some of the tags of delegates, which were initially pasted on seats in Dewan Merdeka, were removed to make way for unknown delegates to be part of the vote.
The claims made by Khairy was dismissed by Isham, who had then challenged the former to come to the venue of the assembly and identify the so-called 'phantom delegates' to support his claim.
