Zahid withdraw from contesting for deputy presidency

Umno supreme council member Datuk Ahmad Zahidi will drop out of the race for the party's deputy presidency.

Sources said the 55-year-old minister will step aside in favour of party vice-president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who has yet to announce his candidacy.

"It looks like the status quo want a Najib-Muhyiddin team. So Ahmad Zahid will make way," an Umno source told The Malaysian Insider, referring to Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak's expected bid to succeed Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as party president.

Abdullah announced yesterday he will not defend his post and will step down as premier next March, making him the shortest-serving Malaysian prime minister.

Ahmad Zahid was the first to announce a tilt for the post and he was quickly followed by Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ali Rustam and Pulai MP Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed.

"The party warlords don't want a contest for the top two posts as they want to consolidate and project unity to regain support," another source said.

He expected Ali and Nur Jazlan to also scrap their bids in the coming days with some of them shifting their attention for any of the three vice-presidency slots.

Among those expected to contest the vice-presidency are Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, the current Umno Youth chief and a cousin of Najib.

Nominations will begin tomorrow when Kimanis and Machang Umno divisions meet, starting the month-long period for divisional meetings.

Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah has said he will contest the presidency but Umno officials do not expect him to get the 58 nominations to be a candidate.