Umno to file more than 50 election petitions

(FMT) - Umno will file more than 50 election petitions to challenge the 13th General Election results, its president, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said last night.

Najib, who is also Barisan Nasional chairman, said the matter was discussed at the party’s supreme council meeting last night — the first after the May 5 polls that saw BN returned as the ruling government.

“Yes, we will file the petitions,” the prime minister said yesterday at a press conference in Menara Dato Onn at the Putra World Trade Centre here.

Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor (picture) said Umno would contest the results of more than 50 parliamentary and state constituencies, but did not elaborate on the locations of the seats.

“Our lawyers are looking into the matter. We will file them by June 11 (a day before the deadline).”

Tengku Adnan also said Umno was also mulling to file petitions in 37 other constituencies.

“We haven’t decided on these 37 yet. We may or may not file the petitions.”

The loose Pakatan coalition was the first to announce that it would challenge the results of 31 constituencies.

PKR strategic director  Rafizi Ramli had said  Pakatan planned to file 31 petitions by the end of this week.

The party, he said, would file 20 petitions, Pas eight and DAP three.

Deputy solicitor-general II Datuk Tun Abdul Majid Tun Hamzah had been quoted as saying that the High Court must complete the hearing of a petition within six months after it had been filed, while appeals to the Federal Court must also be completed in the same period.

However, Election Commission deputy chairman Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar told the New Straits Times yesterday that it had yet to be notified of any such filings by the court.

Once a petition is filed, the court would inform the EC.

Meanwhile, Najib said Umno would despatch teams throughout the country to explain the new format of the party elections to members. The teams would also seek feedback from party members.

The teams will be led by former Perak menteri besar Tan Sri Mohd Tajol Rosli Ghazali and assisted by the party's executive secretary, Datuk Ab Rauf Yusoh and other leaders. The teams need to complete the briefings before the start of the party's branch-level meetings, which have been set for July 15 to Aug 31.

"Details of the new format needs be scrutinised as it will involve almost 150,000 members. This will be a challenging and complex process."

Najib, who confirmed that Umno's polls would be held this year, said the new format would allow more members to be involved in electing the party's top leadership, in accordance with amendments to the party's constitution in 2009.

Some 150,000 Umno members will now be able to vote for top leadership posts, including the president, deputy president, vice-presidents and members of the supreme council.

Previously, only 2,500 delegates attending the general assembly would elect the top leadership in the triennial party polls.

Najib said the delegates would cast their vote simultaneously at a date to be announced after the nationwide briefings. The dates for the division-level elections would also be announced later.

He said Umno supreme council members had noted the party's improved performance at the recent general election, which saw it capturing 88 seats compared with 79 in 2008.

"According to our research, the total number of votes that went to Umno had increased by 30 per cent in this election. Umno has emerged as a strong party in the 13th General Election as evident from our improved performance.

"If we compare Umno's performance as a single party with the opposition, which is made up of three parties, we fared better as a single party."

Najib said the supreme council had also accepted a proposal from the Umno management committee, chaired by deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, to beef up various technical aspects of Umno's management. He said these improvements would be in the management of the headquarters and the setting up of committees to handle research and social media.

On election offences by party members, Najib said the disciplinary board had received 99 complaints related to sabotage throughout the election. The cases would be handled by a special committee under the disciplinary board.

He said 192 party members were expelled after they had contested as independent candidates in parliamentary and state constituencies.

On a proposal to make BN a single multiracial party, and how it would affect Umno, Najib said: "Umno is well loved by its members, so, suggestions such as these must be studied carefully. We will leave it to the lab sessions and gauge its acceptance."