Adnan: Losers in council because they can contribute

(THE STAR) – Several leaders who lost, or did not contest in the Umno party elections, were still appointed to its supreme council because they could still contribute to the party, said secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor.

He said party president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had considered many aspects before deciding to appoint Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam and Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz to the council.

Rafidah lost her bid for the Wanita chief post while Mohd Ali, the Malacca Chief Minister, was barred from contesting for the deputy president’s post. He also remains as the state Umno chief.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, who did not contest in the elections, was also appointed to the supreme council on Friday.

“This is a very strong line-up which will regain the people’s confidence,” Tengku Adnan said after attending the Putrajaya Community Tourism Programme here yesterday, when asked to comment on the new Umno line-up.

On Najib’s decision to appoint the top leaders to be state chiefs, Tengku Adnan said: “It is not that he did not trust others, but he wanted to give new input and hope to the people in the states.”

Najib takes over from Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib as the Selangor Umno chief. Deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is the new Federal Territory Umno chief.

Vice-presidents Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal are the new chiefs of Terengganu, Penang and Kedah, respectively.