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Friday, April 24, 2009

Najib says political bureau to decide on Penanti

KUALA LUMPUR, April 24,2009 - malaysianinsider - By Adib Zalkapli and Syed Jaymal Zahiid

Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today the party's political bureau will decide whether Umno should contest in the Penanti by-election.

"We have given the mandate to the political bureau to decide," he told reporters after chairing a three hour supreme council meeting here.

The prime minister however refused to say when the political bureau would meet.

Najib, who heads the bureau, also reiterated his stand that the resignation of Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin as Penanti assemblyman was inappropriate.

Najib had previously argued that the by-election was a waste of public funds and floated the idea of Barisan Nasional (BN) skipping the vote, but former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had criticised the move saying the party should not give PKR an easy victory.

The Election Commission is expected to announce the date of the Penanti by-election on Monday following the resignation of the former Penang Deputy Chief Minister last week.

Today Najib also announced that the party constitution would be amended at the next Umno general assembly to be held this year, to reflect the party's renewal and rejuvenation.

He said that the amendment would make Umno more "transparent and open."

He added that a committee has been formed to study the amendment and its recommendation would be forwarded to the supreme council.

In his first speech as party president last month Najib had promised to amend the party constitution to allow more party members to vote in the party election in order to curb vote buying.

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