KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 — Umno Youth chief Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki has insisted that the party would be in a better position to face the 15th general election (GE15) before its internal polls take place.
He said for a party with as “fertile” a democracy as Umno, internal polls always left it in a weakened state, which would put it at a disadvantage should GE15 take place after that.
“If party polls were held two years before GE15, it would pose no problem. But within Umno, as we have a fertile democracy, we need time to recover.
“Every time there are party polls, our strength is reduced by 30 per cent. We need optimum strength to face the general election,” he told reporters during a press conference at Umno’s general assembly today.
The call for GE15 to be held soon has been at the top of the congress’ agenda, starting with Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan’s opening speech for the party’s wings on Wednesday.
Several Umno Youth and Women delegations echoed the same sentiment in their debates.
Yesterday, Asyraf proposed an amendment to the Umno constitution that would only allow party elections to take place after a general election.
He said the amendment was necessary to prevent any attempts to weaken the party’s unity.
Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who has pushed for GE15 to be called since the Johor state election last week, had also reportedly said only six out of 191 Umno divisions wanted party polls to be held before the general election.
Zahid, who is the Bagan Datuk MP, also said the Registrar of Societies had given Umno until December 29 this year to hold its party elections.
