Umno divisional meetings which took place last weekend saw almost all of the 191 divisions pass the motion to support Ismail Sabri Yaakob as prime minister.

The support given by the Umno divisions was their own initiative and not because they were instructed to do so, as stressed by party vice-president Mahdzir Khalid yesterday.

Another vice-president, Mohamed Khaled Nordin, said the motion was also in line with the Umno supreme council’s earlier decision to name Ismail Sabri as Umno’s candidate for PM if BN wins the 15th general election.