May 19, 2008

Dr M and Sanusi Junid quitting UMNO !!!!!!



PM Abdullah: Shocked. Meanwhile, Abdullah said he was shocked by the decision and, despite their differences, had not expected him to leave.
However, the beleaguered premier said he would stay on and fight for the party. “Perhaps some other members might leave too, but this won’t entirely affect the party. It all depends on whether the rest want to stay on and continue to fight for the party too,” he said.
Umno Deputy President Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak expressed his shock and sadness too.
Najib, who read a prepared statement to Malaysian reporters at Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt, said he was prepared to meet Dr Mahathir to discuss his decision.
"I will also discuss with Datuk Seri Abdullah, whom I had contacted just now, on efforts to strengthen Umno and also the issue of leadership transition in the party.
"I hope all Umno members will stay calm and give support to our efforts to strengthen the party," he added.
In KLANG: Former Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo said Dr Mahathir’s decision will affect public perception of Umno’s strength and possibly discourage youngsters from joining the party. Many of those aged below 40 years grew up during Dr Mahathir’s premiership and hold him in high regard.“Dr Mahathir’s resignation will have a huge impact on the trust that this group of people, including the Malays, have in Umno and its capability to lead the country,” he said.
He said youngsters wanting to join the party now might also shy away as questions would be raised on Umno’s ability to be effective as a party. “These youngsters might not join other parties but they will stay away until Umno can mend the current situation and avoid splits in the party,” he said.(The Star)

No comments: