PUTRAJAYA, April 10 — Johor Baru Umno chief Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad yesterday refuted reports that Johor Umno has approved a resolution calling for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to step down.
He said that there was no resolution made at the state Umno meeting recently. "The meeting did not pass any resolution or take any decision to be conveyed to the Umno president. Those present shared the views and on my part, I stated that rehabilitating Umno should be the main priority."
He was responding to a Singapore news report which said Johor Umno would ask the prime minister to step down in a way that would not humiliate him.
On whether support from Johor Umno for the prime minister was still strong, Shahrir, who is Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister, said in his opinion "it is strong".
According to Shahrir, no decision was announced during the state Umno meeting earlier. "So what you hear was what someone inferred about the meeting. But as far as I can see, there was no definitive conclusion that the PM should step down."
He added: "The priority is to consolidate the party...eventually the PM will step down, isn't it?"
Shahrir referred to a similar predicament in 1999, which was also described as a "wake-up call" at that time to rejuvenate the party. "But when we won a huge mandate in 2004, I think the rejuvenation plans were put on the backburner because of the astounding victory."
He said money politics then came to the fore to the point an Umno vice-president was suspended because of it.
He explained the huge victory might have lulled the party into complacency only to face a major setback in this year's polls. "It does not mean it was weak leadership on the part of Abdullah but the responsibility should be shouldered by Umno leaders at the state and division levels."
Asked if any of the Johor divisions called for Abdullah to step down, Shahrir said: "I felt it was not openly stated. That is why I was surprised by the report carried in the Business Times of Singapore."
He said that it would be better to wait for the meeting between Abdullah and Johor Umno scheduled for tomorrow to get a correct picture of the situation. — Bernama
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