JOHOR BARU: The Umno leadership transition plan does not forbid branches and divisions from nominating candidates for the posts of president and deputy president.

Johor Baru Umno division chief Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad said a contest for the party's top two positions could not be prevented if there were sufficient nominations.

In Shah Alam, Umno information chief Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib denied that the supreme council had closed down any contest for the top posts.

He said the party's highest decision-making body had only endorsed the handover from president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to his deputy, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, in 2010.

Shahrir described the plan for Abdullah to step down in favour of Najib in two years' time as necessary.
"Two years is not long. In Umno, every transition plan is carried out according to the current situation and needs," he said at the opening of branch meetings in his division.

He said the transfer of power from Abdullah to Najib was a significant milestone paving the way for the next generation of leaders.

"We do not want the younger Malays to call us a 'grandfathers party'. If Umno is to remain relevant to the younger generation, then we have to allow new leaders to lead the party," he said.

In Batu Pahat, division chief Dr Puad Zarkashi called for more authority to be transferred to Najib.

"Najib would then have ample time to familiarise himself with the workings of government," he said after the joint-opening of the meetings of the division's branches.

The weekend saw several hundred Umno branches throughout the country holding meetings as a prelude to division elections in October.

Some divisions are opting for early compromises between leaders to avoid divisive contests.

In Padang Terap, all three of the division's top leaders agreed to a swap.

Datuk Paduka Ghazali Ibrahim agreed to relinquish the division chief's post to Number Three, Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid, in October.

Ghazali said he would instead go for the division's deputy chairman's post while the incumbent, Datuk Syed Sobri Syed Hashim, has agreed to take up the division's vice-chairman's post, replacing Mahdzir.

"We have agreed to compromise for the sake of the division and party," he said at the simultaneous start of meetings of the 137 Umno branches under the division.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Hassan Malek has decided not to contest the top post in the Kuala Pilah division in Negri Sembilan.

"I will defend my deputy division chief's post. If there are those who want to challenge me, they are welcome," he said when opening the Kuala Jemapoh Umno branch meeting in Juasseh.

In Ipoh, Bernama reported that Gopeng Umno division chief Datuk Seri Abdul Aziz Shamsuddin would be giving up his post.

Another division chief who has decided to make way for new blood is Pasir Mas Umno division head Datuk Abdul Rahim Abdul Rahman.

"It is fitting for the incumbent to give way if the new person has the ability to serve," he said after opening the meetings of the 177 Umno branches in the division.