Monday, June 19, 2006

Umno's " discipline " OR " unity " to prevail ?

From The Sun 19 June 2006

Dr M to top Umno meeting agenda
by R. Manirajan

PETALING JAYA: Former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's recent attackon Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his administration is expected to top the agenda of the Umno Supreme Council, which meets this morning.

Party insiders say the focus will be on mitigating the effects of Mahathir's scathing criticism of Abdullah and prevent a split in the party.

The supreme council is expected to rally and voice support for Abdullah as the current leader of the party and the country.

On Friday, the BN Supreme Council and the various component parties pledged support for Abdullah. Mahathir had on June 7 lashed out at Abdullah, claiming his hand-picked successor had reneged on his promises to complete some projects he initiated.

Among the issues Mahathir wanted answers to were the scrapping of thehalf-bridge project in Johor, the sale of MV Agusta for one euro andthe National Automotive Policy.

Abdullah has declined to speak ill of his predecessor but said the various ministries would reply to Mahathir's criticisms and questions.

On Friday, Proton issued a lengthy statement explaining the rationale for the sale of MV Agusta and the termination of Tan Sri Tengku Mahaleel Tengku Ariff's contract as CEO.

Political pundits believe a handful of supreme council members may raise the possibility of taking disciplinary action against Mahathir for his actions.

Talk of suspending or sacking Mahathir from the party gained currency after Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Najib Razak warned that while Umno or BN members can voice their opinions, action can be taken against them if they go overboard in their criticism.

Abdullah himself fielded a string of questions on the issue during a news conference yesterday after launching the Malaysia Mental Literacy Games 2006 at the Tunku Abdul Rahman College in Kampar.

On claims by PAS leaders that Mahathir might be expelled from Umno following his criticism of the government, he said: "We cannot be going by what PAS says."

According to Bernama, he declined to say if the supreme council would have a meeting with Mahathir and said his closed-door meeting with the mentri besar and chief ministers in Putrajaya on Saturday was todiscuss the implementation of the Ninth Malaysia Plan.

Despite the speculation, party watchers believe the supreme council would reject any move to take action on Mahathir as this would plainly be counter-productive to maintaining party unity.

Will Umno sack Mahathir?
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/52569

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