By Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani and Syed Jaymal Zahiid
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 15 — Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein was stunned when the Umno delegates unanimously voted for the party’s constitutional amendments this afternoon.
The Umno vice-president was even more surprised that the party’s central delegates also did not oppose the amendments even though their interests are affected.
“Well, I am stunned because they are huge amendments and to have been passed in this manner.
"It shows that there is clear realisation in Umno that we have to change and transform and the amendments to the constitution reflect the mood of the delegates,” he explained.
The main amendment was to abolish the quota system for aspiring candidates in the party elections, which has been a major obstacle in contesting party posts. The amendment will do away with nomination quotas and increase the voting base to more than 100,000.
Hishammuddin (picture), who chaired the Umno constitutional amendment committee, said the amendments were a pivotal and significant moment in the party‘s history.
“I think in the history of Umno’s existence, we have not seen such a major transformation that I believe is not just a question of amendments to the constitution but that a lot of the changes reflect how Datuk Seri Najib has led the government and party.
“This shows how serious the party is in making changes that have led to this result,” he said.
Much of the corruption within the party has been blamed on the quota system which its critics say has placed too much power in the hands of the central delegates and encourages bribery.
Hishammuddin admitted that it would be hard for the party to be rid of money politics but believed the amendments show that the members want to change.
“ Of course, it has been said many times but at the end of the day they also said that the transformation and change is not just about the organisation and the amendments to the constitution but it is also a change of values, approach,” he said.
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