KUALA LUMPUR: In a break from tradition, the Umno deputy president will not open the party’s Wanita, Youth and Puteri general assemblies next month.
The Umno supreme council decided at a meeting yesterday that these assemblies will be opened separately by their respective chiefs.
Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the council arrived at the decision after considering proposals to that effect from the three wings.
“The opening (of the wings’ general assemblies) will be conducted separately. This was decided following proposals from the respective wings at the meeting.
“That is what they want, and we respect that,” he told a news conference after chairing the meeting of the council at Committee Room 2 of the Parliament temporary building here.
Umno deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and vice-president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal were not spotted attending the closed-door supreme council meeting which lasted for about 90 minutes from 6 pm.
Najib, who is the prime minister, said the council made the decision on the opening of the wings’ general assemblies because it wanted to ensure a cordial and positive Umno general assembly from Dec 8 to 12.
“ … so, this was among the decisions that we made, that the Wanita, Youth and Puteri general assemblies will be opened by their respective chiefs,” he said. — Bernama