Najib’s Party Picks Ahmad Zahid to Lead Malaysian Opposition

Role vacated by Najib who quit following May’s election loss
Other candidates include ex-Youth Minister Khairy Jamaluddin

Najib Razak, left, and Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, right, on April 7.Photographer: Mohd Rasfan/AFP via Getty Images

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By Anisah Shukry and Pooi Koon Chong

June 30, 2018 at 2:59 PM UTC

Updated on

June 30, 2018 at 5:12 PM UTC

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The party of ousted Malaysian Premier Najib Razak has chosen his former deputy, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, as its new president to lead reform after a shock election loss in May ended its six-decade rule.

Zahid won with at least 78 votes in the first open contest for the presidency of United Malays National Organisation, Secretary-General Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor told reporters in Kuala Lumpur early on Sunday. There are 34 divisions still to be counted from the total 190, with one being disqualified due to too many discrepancies, he said.