Umno veeps ready for sacrifice
By Syed Jaymal Zahiid, FMT
KUALA LUMPUR: Umno’s three vice-presidents said today that they would withdraw from contesting in the coming general election if the party leadership believed they could not win.
One of them, Hishammuddin Hussein, said this was the kind of sacrifice Umno needed from its members as it prepares for an election that would test its ability to survive.
He cited the willingness of former Terengganu menteri besar Idris Jusoh to “sacrifice himself” and not contest.
Zahid Hamidi said he and the other vice-presidents received a text message from Idris informing them of his decision.
The other vice-president is Shafie Apdal.
In his address to the Umno general assembly this morning, Umno president Najib Tun Razak made clear that the meeting would be the last before the 13th general election. He indicated that the party was in need of a transformation that would include a shift in winning methodology and the deployment of only “winnable candidates”.
“Not a problem whatsoever, three of us,” Hishammuddin told reporters during the break following Najib’s speech.
