BACHOK, Oct 9 — Umno vice-president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin today openly asked all Umno divisions, which will hold their delegates meeting starting tomorrow, to give 100 per cent backing to Datuk Seri Najib Razak as the successor to Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi when party polls are held in March.
According to him, he was making the call so that the leadership transition plan already in place (under the plan, Abdullah has agreed to hand over the reins of the party to Najib) could proceed smoothly.
This open support by him is a clear indication that the Trade and Industry Minister will offer himself for the deputy president's post although he has yet to make an official announcement on it.
"I will make an official announcement tomorrow, Friday being a holy day. Tradition must be respected, yesterday the Prime Minister (Abdullah) made his decision, today I have been informed Datuk Seri Najib will state his stand and it is only right I wait for my turn.
"I leave it to you to guess (what my announcement will be). Wait until tomorrow," he told reporters at the Aidifitri open house of Bachok Umno deputy head Datuk Dr Illias Husin in Kampung Kuchelong here.
Commenting on remarks by Gua Musang Member of Parliament Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah who maintained that he would contest the Umno presidency despite the leadership transition being brought forward to March next year from June 2010, Muhyiddin said Tengku Razaleigh was free to do so.
"However, we leave it to his wisdom as a party veteran to make the right decision. I don't think I am qualified to advise him and I have total respect for him. But I am certain he will take all aspects into consideration following the decision yesterday by the Prime Minister, who is for Najib to take over.
"But this does not mean we will prevent anyone from contesting. He can contest, it is his right, but in the end, it will be the delegates who will decide," he said.
On other matters, Muhyiddin, who is also Umno's disciplinary and rules committee chairman, reminded the divisions to ensure their meetings were "clean" so as not to tarnish the image of the party.
"Umno is the core political party in the country. Party elections this time not only give us an opportunity to improve our standing but also bring about a revival. Hopefully, everything will go fine," he added. — Bernama
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