Umno Putatan still strong — div chief

KOTA KINABALU: Umno Putatan is still strong despite many of its former leaders quitting the party, said acting divisional chief Jeffrey Mohammad.

Speaking at Umno Putatan`s annual general meeting on Saturday, Jeffrey said that the division had undergone restructuring and its members are now made up of those who are loyal to the party.

“Umno Putatan members now are those with courage to rise up to the challenge of being the opposition,” he said.

The meeting was officiated by Umno Sabah deputy chief Datuk Yakub Khan.

Jeffrey, congratulating Umno Putatan branches Chiefs and members loyal to the party, said the division had undergone a cleansing process, thus ensuring only genuine fighters who hold on to their principle and discipline are there to stand solidly with Umno.

“Umno Putatan will continue to make changes in stages to ensure that it remains relevant with the needs of the constituents in Putatan. We will also intensify the use of social media in our campaign and hope that more Umno members will come forward to raise issues affecting the Rakyat,” Jeffery said.

According to him, Umno Putatan also welcomes opinions and ideas from its members in an effort to strengthen the party`s work in Putatan.

Although the division is facing difficult times financially in terms of funding its activities, it would not deter them from giving their best effort to help the rakyat, he said, adding that Umno Putatan would also be more inclusive in the aspect of membership where those who meet the party`s requirement as stated in it’s Constitution wpuld be accepted as members.

The party’s halatuju had been outlined by the acting Umno President and Umno Putatan would continue to be the best constructive opposition in the Putatan parliamentary constituency, he stressed.

“We will be the `eyes and ears’ of the rakyat as well as act as the check and balance of the ruling government. At the same time, we will work hard at ridding the cronyism and neopotism label that has long been associated with Umno.

“With this we hope to be able to prove to the constituents that Umno is better than other political parties in Putatan,” he said.

Jeffrey also said that Umno Putatan would support Umno Sabah’s fight for autonomy from the central leadership and that the party’s priority now is to strengthen and restructure itself to face the 15th general election.