Umno Supreme Council renews support for me, says Najib

The Umno Supreme Council expressed renewed support for the party president and deputy president in its meeting today, says Datuk Seri Najib Razak. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Najjua Zulkefli, May 11, 2015.The Umno Supreme Council expressed renewed support for the party president and deputy president in its meeting today, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said, adding that those who spread rumours about the meeting today would be disappointed by its outcome.

He added he had met personally with Umno deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin this morning and had pledged to have more “heart-to-heart” discussions with the latter, to prevent anyone from tearing the party’s top leadership apart.

“The Supreme Council expressed renewed support for the president and the deputy president. The Supreme Council wants the president, deputy president, the council and all Umno leaders to unite as a team to face all the challenges and take positive action to strengthen Umno and Barisan Nasional’s position among the people,” said Najib.

He said this at a press conference in the party’s headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, after chairing the Supreme Council this evening.

"I also appreciate the good ideas brought forward by the deputy president in the meeting.

"I met him heart-to-heart this morning and I said we would always have heart-to-heart discussions to ensure the Umno leadership will be strong and comfortable, so that no quarters try to tear us apart, especially the deputy president and I.

"So if there were any rumours spreading before this meeting, those who spread the false rumours would be disappointed."

Former information minister, Tan Sri Zainuddin Maidin in his blog today claimed that Najib no longer enjoyed the support of the people and his party members, and predicted that the prime minister would be informed of this during today’s meeting.

Zainuddin said that based on information received, all Umno Supreme Council members accepted that Najib does not have the support of the grassroots.

But Najib today said that in renewing their support for him, the Supreme Council today said they also hoped to play a more active role in resolving any issues that he and the government faced.

“The Supreme Council said that if any issues arose, they hoped they would be given the chance and the room to contribute their ideas and suggestions so that any issues raised can be managed and resolved as best as possible,” said Najib.

Calls for Malaysia's sixth prime minister to resign have risen since pilgrims’ fund Lembaga Tabung Haji confirmed buying land from 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) – the state strategic investor whose RM42 billion debt has pushed even retired Dr Mahathir to ask for Najib's ouster.

Dr Mahathir said that Umno and Barisan Nasional will lose the next general election if he Najib did not resign.

- TMI