Umno MPs back Abdullah - The Sun

By Giam Say Khoon

KUALA LUMPUR (May 20, 2008): Members of Parliament (MPs) from Umno today threw their support behind an embattled Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as party president and gave their assurance that they would not leave Umno.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohd Nazri Aziz said the statement of support was made in a special one-hour meeting with Abdullah when the Parliament session broke for lunch, following the dramatic announcement yesterday by former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to quit Umno, and his urging members who share his views on the leadership to do the same.

During the meeting, Sri Gading MP Mohamed Aziz represented all Umno MPs present in assuring Abdullah that they would remain with the party.

Said Mohd Nazri: "The departure of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad will only make Umno stronger. This is not new and no one in Umno will want to see the party collapse."

He said 95% of the 78 MPs from Umno attended the meeting.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak and International Trade and Industry Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also Umno vice-president, were abroad on official duty.

Mahathir's son, Datuk Mukhriz, who is Jerlun MP, was absent at the meeting. Nazri said the party did not want him to feel bad over his father's decision. Mukhriz held a press conference in the evening to announce that he would stay put in Umno.

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