Najib committed to transition plan - The Star

By Jane Ritikos

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak says he is committed to the transition plan for him to take over the Umno presidency from his predecessor in 2010, despite an Umno branch in his Pekan constituency nominating him for the presidency.

Najib, who is Umno deputy president, also dismissed his nomination by the branch on Friday saying:

"It is only one branch. There are 134 more branches. The Pekan division that I lead will be committed to the transition plan that I have agreed upon."

As such the Pekan division would nominate Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Najib to defend their president and deputy president posts respectively at the party election in December, he said.

He said this Saturday after closing the two-day Bumiputra Economic Convention 2008 themed "Leapfrogging the Bumiputra Economy", organised by Federation of Malay Economic Bodies (Gabem) and Umno Youth.

On bumiputra equity ownership, Najib said it appeared to be stagnant at 18% to 19% while the target was to achieve 30% bumiputra equity by 2020.

[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/7/19/nation/20080719221309&sec=nation]