Leadership Transition In Umno Must Take Place Now, Says Dr M - Bernama

KAJANG, April 12 (Bernama) -- Leadership transition in Umno must be done now to ensure the party was on a solid footing to lead the Barisan Nasional (BN) in recapturing states lost to the opposition in the next general election, said former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

He said this was because reviving the party would take time and general elections must be held no longer than five years.

"Five years is not a long time, If we don't do it (leadership transition) now, it might be too late, more so if the opposition are able to govern the states (Kedah, Penang, Perak, Selangor) well," he told reporters after giving a speech at a Malay leadership forum here today.

He was commenting on remarks by Umno vice president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin yesterday that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi would be holding discussions with Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak about the latter taking over the mantle of leadership.

Dr Mahathir said if it was true the handover would take place, it was something good as leadership transitions should be done smoothly.

"Most of Umno members want this, he (Abdullah) must respond and do it in a good way. If not, there will be calls extraordinary general meetings to have amendments made to the party constitution, followed by a motion of no confidence... all this will be bad for the image of Umno," said Dr Mahathir.

He also said that he had nothing to do with it (power transition).

"Nothing to do with me, I am not involved in this. He has to do the needful for the party. It is obvious that instead of blaming me or blaming everybody else, he must accept responsibility because it happened during his tenure of office," he said.

[From http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=326424]