KUALA LUMPUR: Yesterday's big majority victory for the Umno Youth chief post has indirectly dispelled the alleged existence of certain factions within the party.
Merlimau assemblyman Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh, who received the highest number of votes in the fight for the post, said the big support he received during the party polls was a testament to the delegates' voices at the divisional and branch levels, who wanted a united voice for the movement.
He said it was important to see Umno continue moving forward, subsequently restoring the people's trust in the party.
"If there are camps within the party, there will be split votes, but this did not happen. There is only one camp, the Umno camp.
"Therefore, I am asking all my friends, even those who lost (in the polls) to be together as those who won did not win all, those who lost did not lose all (yang menang tidak menang semua, yang kalah tidak kalah semua)," he said.
Based on the unofficial results, up to 10 am today, Akmal said he received more than 110 votes from 189 Umno divisions.
He is ahead of three other candidates — former deputy finance minister Datuk Mohd Shahar Abdullah, as well as Umno supreme council members Datuk Armand Azha Abu Hanifah and Meor Hassan Mat Ali.
On the number of votes he garnered so far, Akmal said he did not expect it because other candidates were more prominent than him.
"I was expecting that if I were to win, it would only be by a majority of one or two votes, but when the results came out yesterday, I did not expect it," he said, considering that he was only a "representative of villagers".
"But this is the real voice of Umno by the people who want changes at the grassroots level.
"While campaigning, I bring my voice to restore the trust in Umno. There is a need to make changes.
"Umno Youth must follow the will of the people, not the leaders," he said.
Meanwhile, commenting on his statement last night to amend the wing's Constitution to limit the age of Umno Youth chief candidates to 40 years old, Akmal said the motion would be brought to the Umno General Assembly this year.
"I am committed to this so that Umno Youth can produce a new generation of leaders and not maintain the position of leader," he said.
