PONTIAN, Jan 3 — Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan said any decision or proposal regarding the party’s direction must first be endorsed through Umno’s top decision-making platforms before it can be implemented.
He said this applied even to proposals put forward by Umno Youth, which must be tabled at the party’s supreme council meeting and later at the general assembly this month.
“Basically any major decisions must go through the two platforms, and this includes the proposal for Umno and PAS to re-establish cooperation in the Muafakat Nasional (MN) pact,” Ahmad Maslan told reporters after officiating a rural empowerment programme at the Kampung Parit Datuk Onn community hall in Api-Api here today.
“As we know, the Umno general assembly will convene from January 14 to 17 and prior to that there will be a party supreme council meeting.
“So whatever Umno Youth has proposed in today’s special convention must first be brought to the party’s supreme council meeting and then it can only be discussed during the general assembly,” he added.
He was responding to Umno Youth’s special convention held today to gather grassroots views on whether the party should continue cooperating with Pakatan Harapan.
Ahmad Maslan, who is also the Pontian MP and deputy works minister, said it was important for the party to adhere to its established decision-making processes.
“Please understand that any proposals can only be decided during Umno’s supreme council meeting and also the party’s general assembly.
“Whatever direction that the party chooses can be decided after that,” he said.
On a related matter, Ahmad reminded DAP leaders at all levels to be cautious when issuing public statements.
He said this was to avoid inflaming sensitivities among Umno grassroots members and to prevent a breakdown in relations within the unity government.
Umno Youth’s special convention, titled “Hala Tuju Umno, Sama Ada Kekal Atau Keluar Dari Kerajaan” (Umno’s Direction: Stay or Leave the Government), is scheduled to be held today at Dewan Tun Ismail, World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur.
Earlier this week, Umno Youth chief Datuk Dr Akmal Salleh publicly urged the party to withdraw its support from the unity government following dissatisfaction over developments involving former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Ties between Umno and Pakatan Harapan component party DAP have come under strain after Puchong MP Yeo Bee Yin welcomed a Kuala Lumpur High Court decision related to the royal addendum issue involving Najib.
