Umno General Assembly 2006 – summed up

THIS has definitely been one of the most Malay of Umno general assemblies in years. 

It has also been one of the most fiery. Not only was the keris waved in the air and raised to the lips, but Malay interests have been articulated with quite little reserve. 

The non-Malays have been at the brunt of much of the criticism during the debate, be it about Malay equity, education or race relations. 

“Don’t be too disturbed, the Chinese are still our good friends. It’s just that when we come here, we wear a different hat,” said one delegate from Pahang. 

If one has to sum up the Malay Agenda debate, it would be that Malays are not ready to let go of affirmative policies, much less embrace meritocracy. 

There has also been too much blame and finger-pointing and not enough self-analysis. Only one speaker had the courage to say so. 

Datuk Mufti Shuib, Ampang division head and a former Selangor strongman, said: “Don’t just blame the leaders. If we had really tried our best at whatever we did, the Malay equity today would be 80.9%, not 18.9%.” 

But how many speakers actually made an impact with the content of their speech? 

Very few, which is a pity because the top guns on stage are listening, watching and taking notes. 

Wit, rhetoric and fire are great stuff at Umno assemblies. But it is content and credibility that separates potential leaders from speakers.  

Source: The Star

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Umno Youth chiefs call for emergency Exco meeting

State Umno Youth chiefs have unanimously called for an emergency Exco meeting to discuss the purported insult made by Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir against party president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. 

Spokesman for the group, Ashakari Abu Noor, who is also the Malacca Umno Youth chief, said Mukhriz, who is an Exco member, had broken ranks. 

“We are taking his comments very seriously. He has belittled the president’s policy speech. We are calling collectively for him to review his post as Exco member,” he said at a press conference. 

All the other state Youth chiefs were also present at the press conference. 

Mukhriz had said on Wednesday that Abdullah’s speech at the Umno general assembly contained nothing new. 

Source: The Star

Bumiputra gets 20% of contract value for ?% effort

FOR every RM1mil contract awarded to a bumiputra, only 20% went directly to him, according to Umno Youth delegate Datuk Reezal Merican Naina Merican. 

“From a check done by Umno Youth, almost 80% went to non-bumiputras. 

“This is because the suppliers are (mostly) non-bumiputras,” he said when debating the motion on economy and education. 

Source: The Star