Pro-Najib camp deny Sunday meeting to counter 'INTERNAL THREAT' against him

KUALA LUMPUR - Umno leaders have downplayed the significance of tomorrow’s solidarity meeting for party chiefs, claiming the gathering was not organised due to signs of discord in the Barisan Nasional (BN) lynchpin.

Instead, the Umno men said that the gathering is part of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s promise to meet division chiefs twice a year, and added that it would be a good platform for the leaders to exchange feedback on party matters.

“We are all together, united. No hot issues will be raised, it will be a straight-forward meeting. We all want to meet our PM. The last time we met was seven or eight months ago...He (Najib) has promised to meet twice a year,” Cheras Umno division chief Datuk Seri Syed Ali Alhabshee told Malay Mail Online when contacted.

He confirmed that the meeting will be held at the Putra World Trade Centre at 3pm tomorrow.

“The proposal for the meeting was first mooted by a few division chiefs, so we call for a meeting-lah,” Syed Ali revealed.

Talk is that the meeting is meant to rally support for Najib and the present Umno leadership, which has been plagued by a number of controversies of late.

When contacted, another Umno leader, however, similarly played down the significance of the meeting, saying it was not uncommon.

“The meeting is just for in-house, party matter. Macam anak jumpa bapak (like children meeting their father),” Selangor Umno state secretary Datuk Johan Abd Aziz told Malay Mail Online.

He pointed out that all Umno division leaders in the country would be attending the solidarity meeting.

According to media reports, the meeting will include a dialogue between the Umno division heads and Umno president Najib.

Kepong Umno chief Datuk Rizuan Abdul Hamid has said the meeting would counter claims that the party was politically divided.

Kinabatangan division chief Datuk Bung Moktar Radin was quoted saying the meeting would allow Umno leader to ask Najib some issues such matters pertaining to the economy and 1Malaysia Development Berhad.

Bung denied that the gathering was to counter an internal party threat against Najib. - Malay Mail