KUALA LUMPUR, July 1 — After losing the race for the Umno presidency, Khairy Jamaluddin said today that the popular vote actually showed that most party members wanted change.

Khairy, a reformist who had suggested the possibility of opening up Umno to non-Malays, claimed that “warlords” had forced delegates to support their choices.

“The popular vote shows that the majority of Umno members wanted change.”

“Except that the electoral college system favours warlords who have a strong grip on their divisions. Many were ordered, threatened, and forced to follow the warlords’ choice,” Khairy tweeted.

In a graphic posted by Khairy, he received 32,592 votes, 6,605 votes less than Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahidi Hamidi’s 39,197 in the presidential race.

 

 

But Khairy won 61 divisions compared to Zahid’s 99 for the president’s post. Tan Sri Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah won 30. Tengku Razaleigh received 20,462 votes.

There are 191 divisions in Umno across the country except for Sarawak. Some have many branches, while others have few. Those running for office in the Umno election must get support from most divisions.

Former Negri Sembilan Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan was elected deputy president. The three elected vice-presidents were Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid and Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.