Johor Menteri Besar Mohamed Khaled Nordin has denied an online report linking him to Umno deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin's alleged 'Team 5M'.
"I wish to strongly deny any involvement as alleged by the portal (which published the report).
"I was never contacted by anyone nor did I contact anyone to contest for any post (in Umno)," he said in a Facebook post.
Khaled described this as a desperate attempt by certain quarters who aim to disrupt the unity and harmony in Umno.
"We should use this opportunity at the Umno general assembly to strengthen and prepare the party machinery to face the next general election," he said.
The portal, called PRU14.tv , claimed that Muhyiddin is slated to unveil 'Team 5M' during a talk at the Kelab Sultan Sulaiman in Kuala Lumpur tonight.
Quoting sources, the report said the team would contest in the 2018 Umno party elections, with Muhyiddin gunning for the president's post.
The report added that Kedah Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir would contest for the number two post.
Mukhriz is the son of former Umno president Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is openly calling for current president Najib Abdul Razak to be ousted.
Meanwhile, Khaled, who is a supreme council member, was named as a contender for the vice-president post.
Current vice-president Mohd Shafie Apdal, according to the report, would contest for the same post in the 2018 polls.
Another purported 'Team 5M' contender for the vice-president post is former Terengganu menteri besar Md (Ahmad) Said.
Umno has three elected vice-presidents. The posts are currently being held by Shafie, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein.
Zahid had replaced Muhyiddin as deputy prime minister after Najib removed the latter from the cabinet in July following his critical views on 1MDB.
Also dropped from the cabinet was Shafie, who had then held the rural and regional development ministerial portfolio.
News of the alleged 'Team 5M' comes just before Umno holds its three-day annual general assembly, which commences tomorrow, and amid calls for solidarity.
Saya ingin merujuk laporan sebuah portal hari ini yang telah menyebut nama saya dalam penulisan mereka.Saya ingin...
Posted by DATUK SERI HJ. MOHAMED KHALED NORDIN on Sunday, 6 December 2015
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