IPOH, Dec 28 — Umno will take into consideration the opinions and views of grassroots leaders, on the party’s cooperation with Perikatan Nasional (PN), at the Umno division delegates meeting which starts this Friday.

Perak Umno liaison committee chairman Datuk Saarani Mohamad said the Umno Supreme Council would study the views at length in their meeting scheduled on January 6.

"At the division delegates meeting we will hear the views of the division chiefs as well as the representatives or leaders from the women, youth and puteri wings who are also the grassroots leaders,” he told reporters after the launch of the state-level Greening the Country Programme at Kledang Saiong Forest Eco Park in Bandar Meru Raya here today.

Yesterday, Umno secretary-general Datuk Ahmad Maslan said the Umno divisional meetings nationwide will be held simultaneously in 191 divisions, for all three party wings, Wanita, Puteri and Pemuda for three days between January 1 and 3, next year.

In another development, Saarani said the appointment of Pengkalan Baharu assemblyman Datuk Abd Manap Hashim as an exco-level special adviser to the Menteri Besar was not a form of reward for tabling a motion of confidence for former Perak Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu during the state legislative assembly sitting on December 4.

"The position was left vacant by Datuk Zainol Fadzi Paharudin (Bersatu-Sungai Manik) who was appointed exco member, so it had to be filled.

"We decided to choose Abd Manap because of his abilities, apart from him being a senior among the assemblymen,” he added. — Bernama