Mahathir's son fails in bid for UMNO vice-presidency
Three-year leadership status quo looms as Mukhriz loses out to the PM's cousin in vote
Mukhriz Mahathir, the 48-year-old son of Malaysia's longest-serving prime minister, has lost his bid to become a vice-president of the country's biggest political party, setting back plans to establish himself as a future national leader.
Mukhriz came in fourth in a vote by members of the ruling United Malays National Organisation to select three vice-presidents, beaten to third place by Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, Prime Minister Najib Razak's cousin.
Fellow incumbents, Rural and Regional Development Minister Mohd Shafie Apdal and Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, secured the most votes, official results showed.
This means a leadership status quo for at least three years, with Najib and Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin returned unopposed as the party's president and deputy president, even after leading the governing coalition to its narrowest victory since independence in 1957 during May's general election.
Khairy Jamaluddin is staying on as youth wing leader, while Shahrizat Abdul Jalil remains women's wing head.
With the return of the incumbents "Najib will be able to push for his reform agenda", Merdeka Centre political analyst Ibrahim Suffain said. "There are still some conservative elements in the party. Mahathir's influence is limited now."