Despite pact, Umno branches name others for president

Despite pact, Umno branches name others for president

KUALA LUMPUR, July 26 — Despite a power transfer pact between the party top two, more Umno branches throughout the country today and tomorrow are expected to continue nominating candidates other than Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for party president.

The Bukit Kuantan Umno branch under the Paya Besar division in Pahang yesterday nominated deputy president Datuk Seri Najib Razak for the No. 1 post. The branch also called on Abdullah to hand over power to Najib before the party polls this December to avoid a contest.

This is the second branch in Pahang to nominate Najib after the Kampung Ubai branch in Najib's own Pekan division did the same on July 17, the first day for branch meetings throughout the country.

Najib also received a similar nomination from the Kampung Tengah branch in Pagoh division, Johor. The division is led by vice-president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. The branch also nominated Muhyiddin for the deputy president’s post.

Besides Najib, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah was also nominated for the president’s post by all the 32 branches in his Gua Musang division in Kelantan. The Kelantan prince also received four nominations from outside his state — two from Kedah and one each from Selangor and Johor.

Traditionally, branch nominations will not carry much weight as the actual nominations can only come from the divisions which will meet in October and November before the party's December polls.

However, the signal sent a week ago when the Kampung Ubai branch nominated Najib for the presidency is expected to stir other branches to voice out their views.

Last week, the Ayer Keroh branch in the Bukit Katil division, Malacca, resolved that Abdullah should relinquish not only his Umno presidency but also the post of prime minister.

Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad yesterday urged all Umno branches and divisions to reject Abdullah as president and to ask the Prime Minister to resign immediately.

Abdullah has agreed to hand over power to Najib in 2010, citing the need for a smooth transition of power and to oversee the implementation of the Ninth Malaysia Plan. Najib too has pledged to honour the agreement.

Both have also declared the intention to defend their respective posts.

Besides the branches that are nominating other leaders, many others are expected to nominate Abdullah and Najib to retain their positions.

Umno has some 13,000 branches and 191 divisions in the country.

Don’t nominate Pak Lah as president, Dr M to Umno members

KUALA LUMPUR, July 25 ─ Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has asked Umno branches and divisions not to nominate Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as Umno president.

The former premier said it was the only way for Umno to dismiss the Prime Minister as well as to reform the party.

Umno branches are holding their meetings from July 17 until Aug 24. The divisional meetings will begin after the Hari Raya festive season in October.

"Umno members must force Datuk Seri Abdullah to resign now. Don't nominate Datuk Seri Abdullah at the branch or division level. If the branches and divisions allow Datuk Seri Abdullah to continue as Umno president, then the guilt is on every Umno member," Dr Mahathir wrote in his blog today.

He also said that if Abdullah really loved Umno, he should sacrifice by handing over power to his successor immediately.

He claimed that Abdullah's reason to wait until 2010 to monitor the implementation of the Ninth Malaysia Plan could not be accepted, as he alleged that the Prime Minister's presence had weakened Umno and the Barisan Nasional.

"I admit I'm guilty of choosing Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as my successor. Now I regret because I did not expect ‘Mr Clean’ to be not so clean.

"I believe Umno members and Umno leaders at all levels who are angry with me will not want to make the same mistake. Today, the only powerful force to replace Datuk Seri Abdullah is the members and leaders of Umno," he said, adding that Umno members should not wait until the next general election to see the fall of Abdullah.

Dr Mahathir, when reminiscing about the past, said praises that he had heard for Abdullah, that he was "clean" and called "Mr Clean", made him choose Abdullah after he sacked Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as deputy prime minister.

"I chose Datuk Seri Abdullah to fill the position although Datuk Seri Najib was the (Umno) vice-president with the highest number of votes.

"Why I didn't choose Datuk Seri Najib? Because he was younger and my hope was that after a term or two as Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah will relinquish the position to Datuk Seri Najib.

"That's why I've worked hard to ensure Datuk Seri Abdullah would choose Datuk Seri Najib as his deputy."

Malaysian Insider