Umno to organise state-level unity government convention next year

PETALING JAYA: Umno will organise the state-level Unity Government convention beginning January next year to strengthen political cooperation, says its secretary-general, Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki.

Asyraf said the Umno supreme council meeting on Wednesday (Dec 6) stressed that all MPs and state assemblymen should support the party’s stand on backing Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as the prime minister.

“Also, back the unity government as decided by the Umno supreme council on Nov 24 and passed unanimously by delegates in the Umno general assembly on Jan 14,” added Asyraf.

Asyraf also said that Umno will organise a special colloquium in conjunction with the Bumiputera Economic Congress on Jan 6.

According to Asyraf, the special colloquium aimed to strengthen the Malay economic agenda.

Earlier, there was speculation that Isham Jalil would be sacked as an Umno supreme council member following recent criticisms against party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Isham had criticised Umno’s cooperation with Pakatan, to which Ahmad Zahid said Isham should air his views before the Umno supreme council meeting on Wednesday (Dec 6) night.

However, Isham said he would not attend as a sign of protest against Umno’s decision.

Meanwhile, Asyraf did not mention if Isham was sacked as Umno supreme council member.

The Umno supreme council meeting began at 8pm on Wednesday (Dec 6) and ended around 10pm.

Among those spotted at the meeting were Umno vice president Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan, Tan Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil and Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah.

The Umno supreme council meeting came following its landslide defeat in the Kemaman by-election last Saturday (Dec 2), which saw Perikatan Nasional winning against Barisan Nasional with a 37,220 vote majority.