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Muhyiddin, Mukhriz, Shahrizat popular for Umno top posts
12-Mar-2009, The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR March 12 — Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir and Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil have been endorsed as Umno's top officials by more than half of 1,031 registered voters surveyed recently.

A national poll by the Merdeka Centre for Opinion Research and International Islamic University Malaysia academics revealed that 52 per cent supported Muhyiddin while Datuk Seri Ali Rustam was endorsed by only 11 per cent with another seven percent favouring Tan Sri Muhammad Muhd Taib.

Amongst the 592 Malay voters surveyed, 61 per cent supported Muhyiddin compared to 14 per cent and 8 per cent for Ali and Muhammad respectively.

The telephone survey was carried out from Feb 4 to 16 to gauge voters' sentiments ahead of the Umno polls later this month. It had a margin of error of 4.2 per cent.

In the race for the three vice-presidential slots, Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein emerged as the most preferred candidate (17 per cent) followed by Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (13 per cent) and Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal (8 per cent) among Malay voters.

Some 52 per cent of the voters also picked Mukhriz, son of former prime minister and Umno president Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, as the most preferred choice as Umno Youth chief compared to 11 per cent each for Khairy Jamaluddin and Datuk Seri Mohd Khir Toyo.

In the contest for the Wanita Umno chief, 51 per cent preferred Shahrizat over incumbent Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz, who only received 26 per cent of support.

The race for the Puteri Umno chief saw the wing's information chief Datuk Shahniza Shamsuddin as the most popular choice with 26 per cent support.

According to Merdeka Centre's chief Ben Suffian, the survey indicated the Malaysian public’s keen interest in the Umno elections.

"They also have strong views about the problems affecting the party while at the same time harbour high hopes that those elected to fill various key positions in the party will be able to fulfil their wishes," he said.