KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 19 — No Umno division has submitted any motion to remove Datuk Seri Najib Razak as party president, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said today.
The Umno vice-president said Najib has instead received motions of support from 132 of the 191 party divisions ahead of their general assembly this December 8 to 12.
“As chairman of the committee that handles the motions, I can confirm that there are no such motion (to remove Najib as president),” he said at a news conference at the Parliament lobby here.
Najib is said to be facing an uprising among party grassroots, with reports claiming recently that several Sepang Umno branches want their president to step down over his handling of the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) fiasco and the RM2.6 billion donation made to his private bank accounts.
Last August, the Tampin Umno Youth division approved an emergency motion seeking Najib's resignation as prime minister and Umno president, claiming that the two issues have affected the party's credibility.
Hishammuddin today said it is not necessary for the divisions to submit motions of support for Najib's leadership, saying that it is entirely up to each division to declare their positions.
When asked if any division had submitted motions to debate 1MDB or the donation, Hishammuddin said it will all be finalised at a special convention this November 24.
“If you want the details of the motions that will be debated, please come for the convention,” he told journalists at the news conference.
Hishammuddin had reportedly said earlier that the special convention will involve some 500 experts and professionals from various sectors to discuss the motions submitted by the party's divisions.
