UMNO REJECTS CALL TO MAKE NAJIB DE FACTO LEADER

Sec-gen says party’s constitution does not allow such a move

UMNO has rejected calls for its former president Datuk Seri Najib Razak to be made the party’s de facto leader. Umno secretary-general Tan Sri Annuar Musa said the suggestion was irrelevant and could not be implemented as there were no provisions in the party’s constitution to do so.

On Sunday, Sungai Besar Umno division chief Datuk Seri Jamal Md Yunos had suggested that the party appoint Najib as its de facto leader in the same vein as Datuk Seri Anwar ibrahim for PKR previously.

Jamal had said by doing so, it would boost the effectiveness of implementing reforms and changes in the party.

Annuar said the party would update its membership list after the general assembly.

“We (Umno) have about 3.6 million members in 22,000 branches and 192 divisions nationwide.

“It will take us three months to ‘clean up’ the list,” he said, acknowledging that there would be a drop in the number of members after the update.

Annuar said this after receiving a courtesy visit from the Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress (Kimma) party at Umno’s headquarters at Menara Dato’ Onn here yesterday.

He said Kimma would be an affiliated member of Umno.

Umno, he said, would open its doors to non-governmental organisations and other political parties to strengthen the party.

He called for MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai to “do the honourable thing” and resign for MCA to reinvent itself.

Annuar, who is Barisan Nasional secretary-general, said it appeared to be the only way for MCA to “rediscover its strength”.

“I advise MCA that in its bid to find new strength, it should reinvent themselves. The only honourable way is for Liow to resign.”

Annuar was responding to Liow’s warning on Sunday, in which the latter had cautioned Umno against going further with its cooperation with Pas.

Liow, at the Selangor MCA convention, had said if Umno continued to move towards theocratic politics in its cooperation with Pas, Umno would be left with only two choices.

These, said Liow, were dissolving BN or kick Umno out of the coalition.

Annuar said if Liow’s statements were true, it would have been his personal view and not that of MCA and the Chinese community.

He said Umno did not interfere in the affairs of other BN parties.

“As a friend, it is best to find ways to strengthen our parties instead of interfering, which Umno does not do,” he said.

Annuar said Umno’s cooperation with Pas was done to strengthen the opposition parties.

He said there had been too many misunderstandings and misconceptions of the matter.

“Just like the previous parties, we will need a consensus from all component parties if we were to bring any party into the BN fold.”

The current political landscape, he said, meant that opposition parties could ill-afford to stand alone.

“We must be pragmatic and realistic. BN must keep all options open and be prepared for the 15th General Election,” he said.

He said BN would continue with its cooperation with Pas.