KUALA LUMPUR: Former Umno youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin has appealed to delegates at the Umno general assembly not to allow a "Dewan Merdeka Move" aimed at supporting a no-contest motion for the two top posts in the upcoming party polls.
He alleged that there is a conspiracy by some delegates to "bulldoze" the motion in order for it to be approved at the AGM today.
He further claimed that some of the tags of delegates at the Dewan Merdeka here had been removed to replace them with "imported" delegates to ensure the motion will be approved.
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"So it is important for the delegates not to carry out the 'Dewan Merdeka Move' to kill democracy (within Umno) and deny the voices of the grassroots to determine the future of the party and to pick who is qualified to lead," he said in a video posted on TikTok on Saturday (Jan 14).
Umno is expected to make a decision on whether there will be a contest for the top two posts at the end of the general assembly on Saturday, party information chief Datuk Isham Jalil said.
Delegates from Johor and the Federal Territories had earlier rejected the motion of no-contest for the top two posts in the party.
Khairy also assured that a contest for the top two posts would not lead to a split within the party.
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"Whoever wins will get the mandate from the party. Whoever wins we will support and we will set aside our differences after the conclusion of the polls.
"A contest during the party polls is normal and once a leader wins, we will close our ranks.
"The narrative that a contest will bring a split is completely false," he said.
He said that Umno did not perform well in the 15th General Election, only winning 26 parliamentary seats.
Khairy had previously said that party president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had given his assurance that he is "ready to fight" in the party elections.
Umno must hold its party polls before May 19.
