KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 19- Umno members who wish to contest top party posts need not have to seek permission from Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, otherwise the party’s stride for transformation is in vain, said Umno Supreme Council member Tan Sri Dr Rais Yatim.
He said if permission had to be sought, then the transformation would not be effective in creating opportunities, rights and scope to bring changes to Umno as espoused by the party president.
“If this is so, then democracy will not be so significant after all to Umno amid candidates joining the fray in the interest of the race, religion and country,” he told reporters after opening the Law and Society, Commercial Laws and Islamic Finance Conference here Wednesday.
He was commenting on Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s remarks that candidates intending to run for the vice-presidency should seek Najib’s views first.
Rais, who is also government’s social and cultural affairs adviser, said Umno members regardless of position should be open in the run up to the party polls in October in line with amendments to the Umno Constitution.
“If someone wants to contest either the vice-presidency or even the presidency, let’s not give negative marks to him as it defeats the purpose of the party constitutional amendment,” he said.
On a call to revitalise Umno by Najib, he said it was not about age of contestants but the ability of Umno leaders whether young or old to churn new and contemporary ideas to enable the party to scale greater heights.
– BERNAMA
