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October 16, 2009 16:05 PM
Kedah Umno Pledges To Recapture State From Opposition
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 16 (Bernama) -- Kedah Umno on Friday pledged to recapture the ricebowl state from the opposition in the 13th general election.
Its delegate at the Umno general assembly Datuk Paduka Md Rozai Shafian said with full spirit, "believe it that Kedah will fall into our lap. God willing, with our efforts in the 13th GE, we will return Kedah to Umno and BN."
The Pendang division head said spurred by party president Datuk Seri Najib Razak's spirit-boosting policy speech at the assembly's opening yesterday, Kedah Umno was now raring to regain the state.
The last general election in 2008 saw Kedah falling to the oppositon for the first time when it won only 14 of the 36 state assembly seats compared to the opposition's 21 (PAS with 16, DAP one and Parti Keadilan Rakyat four) and one seat held by an Independent.
Md Rozai who was debating on the president's speech, also said that making amendments to the party constitution which were passed yesterday, was a big sacrifice for the party president, especially in increasing the number of delegates.
He said the minimum requirement imposed on party members wanting to contest the top party posts also showed that Najib had placed the interests of the party above his own position.
"Although I feel that we had made a quick decision on such a big matter, I believe our leaders had received guidance from Allah. The history of Umno's struggle will record that the party president and deputy president (Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin) had placed sacrifice for the party before everything else.
"It's not easy for a party president and his deputy to sacrifice (their position) by not placing any tough condition for anyone to contest the top posts.
"This has posed a challenge for us, as Umno members, to place the party's interests first and not our own position," he said.
Admitting being deeply moved by the changes, Md Rozai personally felt that the posts of president and deputy president should be given a bit of "protection" as the one chosen as Umno president would also become the BN chairman and prime minister.
Kelantan Umno suggested that democratic values be inculcated in each party member wishing to contest a party post to prevent disunity.
Its delegate Datuk Noor Zahid Omar said this was because not everyone understood the true meaning of democracy, especially in a contest.
"Some people may be talking a lot about democracy when they are contesting a party post but when they lose, they don't seem to understand the concept at all, and the back-stabbing and feuding begin.
"PAS came about after a contest, and Semangat 46 due to defeat in the party polls," he said.
On another matter, Noor Zahid said the role of government-linked companies was important to assist BN in taking control of all the states.
"Therefore, these companies should not just focus on certain states, including the party president and deputy president's states. Stop the toadying," he said.
Selangor Umno wants the federal government to safeguard the future of tens of thousands of factory workers in the state by giving them the opportunity to invest in Amanah Saham Bumputera through small salary deductions.
"They have promised me that if their request is met, they would give strong support to BN to enable it to recapture the state," said Selayang Umno division chief Abdul Shukur Idrus during the debate.
He said most of the factory workers were machine operators who depended on their savings in the Employees Provident Fund which did not amount to much.
He also suggested the setting up of an urban Malay secretariat to conduct and publish studies on the social problems of urban Malays.
"As 16 of the 22 parliamentary constituencies in Selangor are urban areas, the urban transformation process will continue, especially with regards to lifestyle," he said.
Abdul Shukor said economic competition have had a social impact and as such, urban issues needed to be given serious attention.
-- BERNAMA
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