It’s the same team for another term, as VP incumbents make the cut in Umno polls

A triumphant Ahmad Zahid enters the Putra World Trade Centre with his wife Hamidah Khamis to join party bigwigs as the party elections comes to a close tonight. The Malaysian Insider pic by Najjua Zulkefli, October 19, 2013.
Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal and Datuk Seri Hishamudidn Hussein have retained their Umno vice-president posts for a second term, according to unofficial reports.

Ahmad Zahid has picked up 166 votes, Shafie’s current vote count stands at 152 while Hishamuddin is at 92, four votes short of the simple majority needed to secure a spot in the supreme council as a vice-president.

As at 11.45pm, 167 out of 191 divisions have informally announced their results.

Although they had never said they were running as a pact, they were for long spells campaigning as a team, constantly complimenting each other on how they had worked well together as a team in assisting the Umno leadership.

Hishamuddin’s closest challenger, Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir has received 77 votes so far.

The first among the three to claim victory was Ahmad Zahid, who proclaimed himself the winner while speaking at the close of the Bagan Datoh division meeting.

He had told the New Straits Times in an SMS reply: ”I am grateful to the grassroots leaders and members for putting their trust in me to continue the work I have been doing for the past five years. I will do my best to aid the party president and deputy president in taking Umno to greater heights.”

The other two challengers, former Malacca chief minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam and Felda chairman Tan Sri Mohd Isa Samad, received seven and eight votes, respectively.

More than 146,000 members are voting for Umno’s top and division office bearers today.

Party president Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Razak and his deputy Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin retained their posts without a contest.

In the supreme council race, International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed is leading the pack with 22 votes, followed by Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Datuk Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim, Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom and Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek. - October 19, 2013.