Unity, leadership, and Najib’s pardon loom large at Umno’s four-day assembly

Unity, leadership, and Najib’s pardon loom large at Umno’s four-day assembly



Umno’s four-day general assembly starts from January 14, 2026 and runs until Janaury 17, 2026. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

Wednesday, 14 Jan 2026 7:00 AM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 14 — As Umno delegates gather for the party’s four-day general assembly from today, debates are expected to focus on two familiar fault lines: calls for a full royal pardon for former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, and questions over Umno Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh’s future.

The annual meeting, which runs until Saturday, will bring together representatives from 191 Umno divisions nationwide, with 6,412 delegates expected to attend.

Ahead of the assembly, Umno received 662 motions from 175 divisions, reflecting a wide range of concerns and priorities among grassroots members.

Malay Mail will be focusing on three core points.


Push for Najib’s full pardon

Among the most prominent motions expected to dominate discussions are those calling for justice and a full royal pardon for former Umno president and Malaysia’s sixth prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Umno secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki previously said 104 motions submitted by party divisions specifically sought a full pardon for Najib, making it one of the most frequently raised issues ahead of the assembly.

Najib was recently found guilty by the High Court of four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering involving nearly RM2.2 billion linked to 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

High Court judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah sentenced Najib to 15 years’ imprisonment for each of the four abuse of power charges, with the jail terms running concurrently, and imposed fines totalling RM11.38 billion.

For the 21 money laundering charges, Najib was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for each count, also to run concurrently, with no fines imposed.

The court ordered that the jail term commence after Najib completes his ongoing sentence in the SRC International case involving RM42 million.

Najib recently failed in his bid for house arrest, meaning he must continue serving the remainder of his six-year SRC sentence at Kajang Prison.

Delegates pushing for a pardon are expected to urge Umno’s top leadership to take a firmer stance on the matter during the assembly.


Spotlight on Akmal Saleh



Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh has proposed Umno revive its cooperation with PAS under the Muafakat Nasional banner, which has been shot down by his party president, but delegates will have their chance to weigh in during the four-day assembly. — Picture by Firdaus Latif


Attention is also likely to focus on Umno Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh amid speculation over his party leadership.

The issue intensified after Akmal proposed reviving cooperation with PAS under the Muafakat Nasional charter, a move that was swiftly downplayed by Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who said the party did not wish to repeat past mistakes in forging ties with Opposition parties.

At the Umno Youth Special Convention, Dr Akmal tabled two motions: for Umno to resume cooperation with PAS and for the party to withdraw from the unity government to assume the role of the Opposition.

Ahmad Zahid, however, said no decision had been made on Umno Youth’s call for the party to leave the unity government, stressing that all views expressed by state representatives must be carefully scrutinised.

He reiterated that Umno’s position from the outset has been clear, saying the party will not engage in any “tebuk atap” (underhanded) manoeuvres against the current government.

Dr Akmal, who is also Merlimau assemblyman, was reported to have expressed an intention to resign from his party posts and state seat, a move that drew mixed reactions within Umno.

Some party members were unhappy with his statement, and the general assembly could see waning support for Dr Akmal among Youth members and other delegates.

Dr Akmal has since confirmed that he will announce his position in the party during the general assembly.


Umno’s role in the unity government

Following the recent controversy, the assembly is also expected to serve as a platform for Umno delegates to defend the party’s continued participation in the unity government led by Pakatan Harapan’s Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Delegates may use the debates to highlight Umno’s contributions and the benefits of remaining in government, in line with Ahmad Zahid’s stance on rejecting Dr Akmal’s proposal.

Such arguments are likely to be framed as a response to calls from within the party for Umno to reassess its role, as leaders seek to project unity and discipline ahead of the next general election.