He said being part of a unity government was the best solution to avoid Umno falling apart.

The three states are currently controlled by Pakatan Harapan.

“God-willing, (by being in the unity government) we will also be able to face the coming state elections with strength, especially in Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah (states now held by PAS).

“As for Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan, get ready for us to be part of the state governments once again,” he said in his winding up speech at the party’s general assembly.

Zahid names six for state elections operations

To face the coming state elections, Zahid said the party has named a senior leader to take charge of election matters in each of the six states.

Deputy president Mohamad Hasan will be in charge of Negeri Sembilan, Umno vice-president Mahdzir Khalid in Kedah and vice-president Khaled Nordin in Terengganu.

BN secretary-general Zambry Abdul Kadir will be in charge of Kelantan, with Supreme Council member Azalina Othman Said in Penang, and Selangor BN treasurer Tengku Zafrul Aziz in Selangor.

They will be led by Umno Supreme Council member Reezal Merican Naina Merican, he said.

Zahid said Umno must “freshen” itself up to move forward with reforms, not only in the way it works, but also its actions.

The party would need new faces and ideas, and he left it up to state leaders to select new faces as candidates for the coming state assembly elections.

“Umno must be able to offer the people new hope. I’m confident this time around the people will be watching us and see that they should never underestimate Umno and Barisan Nasional,” he said.

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