| No Live Telecast On Debate At Umno General Assembly - Radzi |
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KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 25 (Bernama) -- The debate at the Umno General Assembly will not be telecast live this year as in last year, party secretary-general Datuk Seri Radzi Sheikh Ahmad said Thursday.
He said the decision was made by the supreme council, Umno's highest decision-making body, after taking into account sensitivities of multi-racial Malaysians.
"Eventhough there will be no live telecast, reporters will still be allowed to cover proceedings at the assembly," he told a press conference on the 2007 Umno General Assembly.
Asked whether the decision was made due to unhappiness among other races over issues raised in last year's assembly which was televised live by Astro, Radzi said: "Probably".
On whether former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad would attend the assembly slated for November 5 to 9, Radzi said he had sent the invitation to Dr Mahathir and his wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali.
"Usually, we'll receive Dr Mahathir's reply close to the assembly," he said.
Dr Mahathir, who is also former Umno president, was only recently discharged from the National Heart Institute (IJN) after undergoing a heart operation last month.
Asked whether the assembly opening and presidential address by Prime Minister and Umno president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Nov 7 would be changed to another day as it was a press holiday for some newspapers due to Deepavali the next day, Radzi said there was no change to the programme.
He said the Umno management committee had discussed the matter and decided to stick to the original programme as Utusan Malaysia would be published on November 8.
"Eventhough there will be no newspaper distribution on that day, we will use our own resources to distribute as many newspapers as possible," said Radzi, who is also Home Affairs Minister.
Some newspapers had asked for a change in the assembly opening day as newspaper companies would stop operations on November 7 because newspaper vendors would be on leave for Deepavali.
Radzi said some 2,500 delegates from 190 Umno divisions, except from the suspended Jelutong division, will attend the assembly.
Representatives from 33 political parties overseas have been invited for the assembly, he added.
-- BERNAMA
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