BENTONG, Sept 30- Umno is capable of becoming a more dynamic and respected party after the party leadership election next month, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said today.
He said the election would not only reflect the experience and capability of the party to lead the Malays, but also as the main pillar of the country’s leadership.
“This is because this time around the election does not only get the party attention, but also at the national level. We want to give a picture that Umno is a party which is very democratic by giving enough space to those who are eligible to contest to be elected as party leaders.
“This election process is also crucial, not only to rejuvenate the party, but (more important) for the party to remain fresh as the platform for the struggle for the Malays and the people of Malaysia,” he added.
The Umno deputy president, who is also the party’s management committee chairman, told this to reporters after surveying the 2013 Umno Election Simulation at the Institut Latihan Memperkasa Umno (ILMU) in Janda Baik here Saturday.
The three-day simulation, since yesterday, is aimed at giving exposure and enhance understanding among party members on the new election method in the party, introduced for this first time after the party constitution was amended in 2009, is attended by about 1,400 participants from the peninsula and Sabah.
Muhyiddin said he was confident that the party election process would run smoothly with various programmes made by the Election Committee, with the assistance of the secretariat at the Umno headquarters, to expose members to the new election method.
“I think with the simulation, course, briefing which involved quite a large number of people it is not something that is difficult to implement.
“This is because the election process in Umno always happen, only this time around the number of people who can vote is more,” he added.
Muhyiddin also hoped that the campaign for the party election would be carried out in a healthy manner, with all those involved always safeguarding the good name of the party.
On the results of the party election, Muhyiddin said he did not rule out the possibility that the results would be out late considering the size of the delegates.
Asked on his hope for the party’s leadership lineup, he said it was a decision to be made by the delegates.
“This is not a question of what the president (Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak) and deputy (Muhyiddin) want. it will be decided by delegates,” he added.
In this election, Najib and Muhyiddin retained their posts uncontested.
– BERNAMA
