KUALA LUMPUR: In a break from tradition, the Umno deputy president will not open the party's Wanita, Youth and Puteri general assemblies next month.
The Umno supreme council decided at a meeting Tuesday that these assemblies would be launched separately by their respective chiefs.
Party president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the council arrived at the decision after considering proposals to that effect from the three wings.
"The opening (of the wings' general assemblies) will be conducted separately.
This was decided following proposals from the respective wings at the meeting.
"That is what they want, and we respect that," he told a news conference after chairing the meeting at Committee Room 2 of the Parliament temporary building here.
With the move, deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin would not be giving the opening remarks at the assemblies of the Umno wings.
Muhyiddin and vice-president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal were not spotted attending the closed-door supreme council meeting which lasted for about 90 minutes from 6pm.
Najib said the council made the decision on the opening of the wings' general assemblies because it wanted to ensure a cordial and positive Umno general assembly from Dec 8 to 12.
" ... so, this was among the decisions that we made, that the Wanita, Youth and Puteri general assemblies will be opened by their respective chiefs," he said.
Also at the news conference, Najib announced that the council decided unanimously to sack Gopeng Wanita Umno chief Datuk Hamidah Osman from the party for indiscipline.
He did not elaborate on her sacking.
"The decisions we made today give importance to the running of our party in all aspects; we want our party to be strong and continue to earn the trust and confidence of the people," he added.
Among those who attended the meeting were Umno vice-presidents Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.
Also present were Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, Umno treasurer Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah, Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin and Puteri Umno chief Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin. - BERNAMA
