Kimma now an associate member of Umno

By TheStar

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress – Kimma – is now an associate member of Umno.

Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the party’s supreme council had accepted the membership application from Kimma.

With the move, Kimma can enjoy observer status at Umno’s general assemblies and division meetings, he said after chairing the supreme council meeting here yesterday.

“But they cannot be involved in Umno’s internal matters,” he said, adding that Kimma had agreed to support all policies and decisions made by the Government and the Umno supreme council,” he said.

Kimma was reported to have made six applications to join Barisan but all had been rejected, with the most recent rejection in June this year.

In 2008, Kimma president Datuk Syed Ibrahim Kader had expressed the congress’ intention to join Umno.

On the Sarawak state leadership, Najib said he would discuss with Chief Minister and Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) president Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud any change of leadership.

Earlier, at the Barisan Youth townhall laboratory session, Najib said the coalition would decide by the year-end whether it would allow direct membership, adding that the proposal was being studied.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Ahmad Maslan, meanwhile, said in a statement Felda would take action against the law firm which represented it.

The lawyer’s absence during a trial was the main reason that Felda lost a RM11mil lawsuit to 354 settlers of Felda Kemahang 3 in Kelantan.