Published: Friday April 24, 2009 MYT 7:47:00 PM
Updated: Friday April 24, 2009 MYT 9:59:40 PM

Umno to hold special assembly to amend constitution (Update2)

KUALA LUMPUR: The Umno Supreme Council agreed on Friday to hold a special general assembly at the end of this year to amend party constitution pertaining to the party's election process to make it more transparent, open and democratic.

Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said a committee had been set up to deal with suggestions on what was needed to be amended and other changes in the party.

The committee, he said, would then bring all the suggestions to the attention of the Supreme Council before tabling them at the special general assembly.

"The Supreme Council has also taken into consideration the changes announced by the government and I have also briefed them on the liberalisation policy and the dissolution of the Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Ministry.

"The Supreme Council understands why such decisions were made. This does not mean that there is a change in our commitment but rather, to do away with overlapping of functions among ministries so that they can be more focused.

"We will continue with the policy of the ministry," he told a news conference after chairing the Umno Supreme Council meeting Friday, Bernama reported.

Najib also commented on the appointments to the supreme council, which is listed below.

He said the party’s vice-presidents were qualified to be appointed as state liaison chiefs.

He said if they were qualified to be elected as vice-presidents they would surely be qualified to become Umno state liaison chiefs.

This is the first time the three party vice-presidents were also made to lead Umno at the state level.

They are Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein (Terengganu), Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (Penang) and Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal who is now the Kedah head.

On whether this was because there were no better candidates for the posts, he said:

“It was based on my considerations. As I feel there is a need to appoint our vice-presidents, so I appointed them.”

Six Umno state liaison chiefs were dropped. They are Datuk Ahmad Said (Terengganu), Datuk Seri Zulhasnan Rafique (Federal Territory), Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib (Selangor), Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid (Kedah), Tan Sri Annuar Musa (Kelantan) and Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for Penang.

Najib has taken on Selangor while letting go of the Perak state liaison chief post which has been handed over to Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohd Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir.

THE NEW LINE-UP:

Secretary-General: Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor

Treasurer-General: Datuk Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah

Information Chief: Ahmad Maslan

State Liaison Chiefs:

Selangor: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak replaces Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib.

Federal Territory: Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin replaces Datuk Seri Zulhasnan Rafique.

Terengganu: Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein; Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said is deputy chief.

Perak: Datuk Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir

Kedah: Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal

Kelantan: Datuk Mustapa Mohamad

Penang: Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi