A clearer direction for Umno emerged at its supreme council retreat but the thorny issue of leadership transition will be left to the party’s two top leaders to decide.
THERE was such a tight lid on the proceedings of the Umno supreme council retreat last week that the media people who had swarmed the Shah Alam hotel were left totally frustrated.
Lips seemed to be sealed with superglue and when the supreme council members did speak to the media, it was about everything but what had been transpired behind the closed doors.
Closed conference: Abdullah, seen here arriving for the retreat, allowed for a frank and open discussion. — Bernama
There was also little chance to interact with the members because the meeting on the first day went on till 1am. The next morning, they were back at 8am before concluding their business in time for Friday prayers.
But politicians are naturally articulate people and by Friday night, bits and pieces of the discussion had begun to filter out to Umno circles.
Umno may have lost some of its clout but as the party whose leadership assumes the posts of Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, everything that it does is of interest and importance to the public. People, especially Umno members, were keen to find out what had been discussed, whether the leaders had defined a recovery plan and, of course, the thorny issue of leadership transition.
Umno members are clamouring for a clear signal on the leadership issue, especially with the party elections looming at the end of the year. The perception is that a recovery plan would not be meaningful without addressing the power transition in Umno.
The matter was indeed discussed at the retreat and the position taken on this matter was simple and concise: the supreme council will leave the issue to the party president and deputy president to discuss and decide between the two of them.
The highest decision-making body of Umno will accept what is decided between Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
The members were put in three separate groups to brainstorm, then put forward their ideas for general discussion and return to their groups for more brainstorming before a final presentation and deliberation.
One of the groups had touched on the leadership issue and proposed that a plan be announced by the time the general assembly takes place in December. But several members from the other two groups did not like it, saying it was not the Umno way and that it was un-Malay to set terms and conditions on the leadership.
Everyone agreed when Abdullah requested that the issue be left for him to discuss with Najib.
In the past months, party members had complained the supreme council was not listening to the ground, that they were suffering from the “Yes, Sir!” syndrome.
“On the contrary, we’re very aware of what people say and feel about us. Umno leaders are not living in an ivory tower or on top of a mountain. We told the president what we thought and we emphasised that Umno must change in order to survive,” said one member.
The discussions were not only frank, but covered a spectrum of issues – including Umno’s role in the Barisan Nasional, why the Chinese did not like Umno, how to help Umno’s partners in the Barisan, the media and media personalities, judicial reform, young voters, the people’s expectations of leaders and how Umno can change and improve.
Even the “4th Floor boys” were not spared discussion. The supreme council wants to play a more significant role in supporting the Prime Minister on politics and policies.
“The mood is that Umno must change to survive but there is also great empathy for Pak Lah,” said the source.
Abdullah and Najib took part in the general discussion but were not part of the group brainstorming.
While the groups brainstormed, Abdullah and Najib went into a room to talk.
“Do not disturb us, lock us up if you like. Let me be with my brother,” Abdullah had joked to those around them.
Some segments in Umno see Najib as being too passive amid the calls for change but what very few of them see is that the two men have developed a very special relationship over the past four years.
But, said an Umno minister, leadership change in Umno has to be understood from an Umno and Malay point of view.
“At the end of the day, we are a Malay party with its own inner dynamics for leadership change,” said the Umno minister.
But a clearer direction ahead for Umno did result from the supreme council pow-wow even if the leadership transition remains in question.
THERE was such a tight lid on the proceedings of the Umno supreme council retreat last week that the media people who had swarmed the Shah Alam hotel were left totally frustrated.
Lips seemed to be sealed with superglue and when the supreme council members did speak to the media, it was about everything but what had been transpired behind the closed doors.
Closed conference: Abdullah, seen here arriving for the retreat, allowed for a frank and open discussion. — Bernama
There was also little chance to interact with the members because the meeting on the first day went on till 1am. The next morning, they were back at 8am before concluding their business in time for Friday prayers.
But politicians are naturally articulate people and by Friday night, bits and pieces of the discussion had begun to filter out to Umno circles.
Umno may have lost some of its clout but as the party whose leadership assumes the posts of Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, everything that it does is of interest and importance to the public. People, especially Umno members, were keen to find out what had been discussed, whether the leaders had defined a recovery plan and, of course, the thorny issue of leadership transition.
Umno members are clamouring for a clear signal on the leadership issue, especially with the party elections looming at the end of the year. The perception is that a recovery plan would not be meaningful without addressing the power transition in Umno.
The matter was indeed discussed at the retreat and the position taken on this matter was simple and concise: the supreme council will leave the issue to the party president and deputy president to discuss and decide between the two of them.
The highest decision-making body of Umno will accept what is decided between Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
The members were put in three separate groups to brainstorm, then put forward their ideas for general discussion and return to their groups for more brainstorming before a final presentation and deliberation.
One of the groups had touched on the leadership issue and proposed that a plan be announced by the time the general assembly takes place in December. But several members from the other two groups did not like it, saying it was not the Umno way and that it was un-Malay to set terms and conditions on the leadership.
Everyone agreed when Abdullah requested that the issue be left for him to discuss with Najib.
In the past months, party members had complained the supreme council was not listening to the ground, that they were suffering from the “Yes, Sir!” syndrome.
“On the contrary, we’re very aware of what people say and feel about us. Umno leaders are not living in an ivory tower or on top of a mountain. We told the president what we thought and we emphasised that Umno must change in order to survive,” said one member.
The discussions were not only frank, but covered a spectrum of issues – including Umno’s role in the Barisan Nasional, why the Chinese did not like Umno, how to help Umno’s partners in the Barisan, the media and media personalities, judicial reform, young voters, the people’s expectations of leaders and how Umno can change and improve.
Even the “4th Floor boys” were not spared discussion. The supreme council wants to play a more significant role in supporting the Prime Minister on politics and policies.
“The mood is that Umno must change to survive but there is also great empathy for Pak Lah,” said the source.
Abdullah and Najib took part in the general discussion but were not part of the group brainstorming.
While the groups brainstormed, Abdullah and Najib went into a room to talk.
“Do not disturb us, lock us up if you like. Let me be with my brother,” Abdullah had joked to those around them.
Some segments in Umno see Najib as being too passive amid the calls for change but what very few of them see is that the two men have developed a very special relationship over the past four years.
But, said an Umno minister, leadership change in Umno has to be understood from an Umno and Malay point of view.
“At the end of the day, we are a Malay party with its own inner dynamics for leadership change,” said the Umno minister.
But a clearer direction ahead for Umno did result from the supreme council pow-wow even if the leadership transition remains in question.
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