UMNO, BN to hold dry runs for coming general election

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KUALA LUMPUR: Umno plans to hold an election dry run in July in view of the coming general election, according to Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Mansor.

He said Barisan Nasional (BN) was also expected to follow suit, but the actual date had yet to be finalised.

“For Umno, the dry run may be in July but for BN, the date can only be confirmed after the Supreme Council meeting this Friday,” he told a press conference at Menara Dato’ Onn, here, today.

He said BN must prepare itself to face the general election by learning  lessons from the several by-elections held and the recently-concluded Sarawak state election so that it would be able to counter the opposition’s lies.

As for Umno, he said the party should also study the voting pattern exhibited by the voters in Singapore’s 14th General Election last Saturday as part of its preparations for the general election.

On preparations for the next party polls, Tengku Adnan said Umno had been organising various courses and briefings, besides forming election committees at all levels.

“We have started guiding them because the next party election will involve most probably about 140,000 delegates from 191 divisions from all over the country,” he said.

On Umno’s 65th anniversary celebration, scheduled to be held at the Putra World Trade Centre on Wednesday, Tengku Adnan said all preparation were going smoothly and about 2,000 party members were expected to attend the event.

The event will start with Maghrib prayers, Yasin recital and thanksgiving prayer, followed by the flag-raising ceremony before Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak delivers his keynote address and presents the “Malay Man of Distinction” and “Malay Woman of Distinction” awards. – Bernama