Umno gets serious to be ‘people’s champion’

Later at a press conference, Najib said he wants  party leaders to fulfill promises made to the people if they want to continue holding their positions.

Honeymah Dylyani, Malaysian Mirror

Umno’s abolition of the quota system in its election process is the most significant and radical change ever made to the party’s constitution as it has removed the ‘shield’ that previously protected aspiring leaders.

Stating this, party president Najib Abdul Razak said he had put his presidency at stake by pushing for the change, adding that it would not be fair if protection was given to just the top party leadership.

“Some people asked if I was not afraid that there is no longer a ‘shield’ to protect me. I told them that my shield is the Umno members,” he said to a rousing applause in his winding up speech at the end of the 60th Umno general assembly here Friday.

The quota system had required those vying for top posts in the party to be nominated by a certain number of divisions before they could contest.

The just-concluded assembly took the decision to abolish the system across the board, not just at the lower division levels but also for the supreme council seats, the vice-president post, the deputy president and the presidency.

Party members want Umno to change

“The abolition of the system is a clear signal that party members truly want to change Umno,” he said, stressing that it had removed all doubts about Umno’s intention to be fair to all its members.

“It is not fair if the quota system is just abolished for those wanting to be elected division heads while at the top the system stays. That would reflect unfairness in the sense that the top leaders would be shielded by the quota.

“So, when we discussed the matter at our political bureau meeting, I and (deputy president) Muhyiddin Yassin  said we were prepared not to hide behind the quota system.”

Najib, who took over from Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in April as the country’s sixth prime minister, said he leaves it to the people to judge his leadership.

“If I am a (partyt) president who works well, able to serve my party, be champion of the people…thus, my future is left to all Umno members to decide,” he said, to more applause from the more than 2,500 delegates.

Najib, however, warned party members not to exploit the party’s new election procedure, adding that while the new system is stricter, it is to spur party members towards change.

“If we want to change people, it’s difficult. So we create a stricter system so that the people will change. God willing, they will become better.

“But don’t ever try to undermine or exploit the new system. We are serious about this. Don’t, because if you try, you will have to face the consequences,” he said, urging the members to use the new system to portray Umno as a party of integrity that is supported by the people.

“When the people look at Umno, they see that the party is serious about helping them, about championing their cause. I want Umno to be the champion of the people,” he said.

Delegates displayed tremendous spirit

He also said that Umno was now ready for change based on the tremendous spirit displayed by the delegates during the four-day assembly.

“This is among the best general assemblies I attended since 1976. We have just gone through a huge challenge. During the past one year I was feeling uneasy, thinking whether party members had recovered from the setback.

“I was concerned whether they have risen or not? Whether they have realised or not?

“But today, as I stand before you, all by doubts disappear.

“I dare say that Umno at this moment is ready to rise, and to rise with greater strength,” he said.

He said leaders whose work had brought success would be able to continue to serve the people.

“Party leaders must be hands on and be driven to work hard. They should not leave it to their party workers to the job,” he added.

Najib said while money were important, not all work require financial support.

“You do not need allocations to change from being a lazy person to one who is hard working.

“Neither do you need allocations to change from being arrogant to humble or from being unapproachable to people-friendly,” he added.

Najib said party seniors should give opportunities to young members.

Getting closer to the young

He said if there was a gap between the two groups, it would result in the younger generation moving away from Umno.

“It is not because they do not want to support us but because they were not given space or the recognition,” he said.

Later at a press conference, Najib said he wants  party leaders to fulfill promises made to the people if they want to continue holding their positions.

“I choose menzahirkan perubahan (embodying change) as the theme for my speech; meaning, party leaders should demonstrate actual change so that the people will see that there is indeed change in Umno,” adding that this would, hopefully, become a reality.

 Asked on the perception that Umno was not serious in instituting change as there were little debate on the constitutional amendments, Najib said:

“The lack of debate could be because the mood was good.

“It has not been easy. We negotiated the amendments for months and the management committee met several times to look into the proposals.”

Najib reiterated that those seen as capable of winning elections for Umno and the Barisan Nasional would be given the opportunity to become a candidate.

The opportunity, he added, would not be necessarily  given to a division head.

“There are several factors that we need to look at. Even though the division head is popular, we will still have to consider the division and the people,” he said.

Asked about him thanking Abdullah during the winding-up speech, Najib said he appreciated his predecessor’s assurance that he (Abdullah) would not criticise his (Najib’s) administration.

He said that each leader had his own style in administering the country and in voicing his opinion.