SEPANG UMNO NOMINATE NAJIB AND MUHAMMAD FOR TOP TWO POSTS

SEPANG, Oct 16 (Bernama) -- Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak received one more nomination for the Umno Presidency from the Sepang Umno Division which held its delegates meeting Wednesday night.

The division also nominated Rural and Regional Development Minister Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib for the post of deputy president in the Umno elections scheduled for March next year.

Najib continues to lead nominations for the post of President with 30 while International Trade and Industries Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin leads the race for the deputy president's post with 24.

With Wednesday's nomination received, Muhammad has three nominations for the deputy president's post, the same as that received by Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam.

The quota for candidates to contest the party president's post is 58 nominations, 39 for deputy president and 20 for the three vice presidents.

Sepang also nominated Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khalid Nordin and Minister of National Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal for posts of vice president.

With Wednesday's nomination, Dr Ahmad Zahid has received a total of 16, Mohd Shafie (15) and Khalid (11).

However, Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein with 25 nominations still heads the list of 11 candidates vying for the post of three vice presidents, followed by Dr Ahmad Zahid and Mohd Shafie.

So far only Hishammuddin has surpassed the quota after 29 of the 191 divisions had completed their respective delegates meetings.

-- BERNAMA