Najib tells Umno leaders to prepare for General Election

KUALA LUMPUR - Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has emphasised on Umno leaders at all levels to make thorough preparations to face the next general election so that Umno could continue to lead the Barisan Nasional (BN) government.

Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said this clear message was conveyed by Najib to the delegates and Umno Supreme Council members at the closed-door briefing by the Umno president in conjunction with the Umno General Assembly 2010 at the Putra World Trade Centre, here Tuesday.

"The president stressed that we must continue to be united, strengthen solidarity to champion the cause of the people and to work effectively to face the next general election in a situation where Umno is continuing to become stronger," he told reporters.

Mohd Ali said the Prime Minister wanted Umno to strengthen the constituencies won by the BN in the last general election and to work hard to recapture the areas that it had lost.

Negeri Sembilan Umno information chief Tan Sri Isa Abdul Samad said the Prime Minister hoped that squabbles between the leaders would be resolved immediately so that Umno would become strong and respected by the people.

Meanwhile, Supreme Council member Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi said the president had stressed on the importance of struggling to improve the lot of the Malays inclusively, but at the same time, not ignoring the interests of the other races.

"Besides the four things outlined by the president, namely the leadership at the national, party, state levels as well as the elected representatives, he also urged Umno members to use the 'wisdom' approach on the people in order to remain relevant.

Puteri Umno head Datuk Rosnah Rashid Shirlin said the president placed strong emphasis on the transformation process which all party members had gone through or would face in the future.

"Everyone will be involved as a whole in the New Political Model process that he (Najib) had been emphasising of late," she said.

However, Rosnah who is also the Deputy Health Minister and Member of Parliament for Papar, said the the members were now actually undergoing the process because Najib had already started it since he took over the helm as Prime Minister.

-- BERNAMA