Umno has yet to decide whether to contest the Penanti by-election following the resignation of state representative Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin from PKR.

The party’s powerful supreme council which met today - the first since Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak took over as Umno leader - resolved that the decision will be left to its political bureau.

The political bureau is headed by the Umno president himself.

However, Najib declined to reveal when the political bureau is to meet to make a final decision on the matter.

umno supreme council 2009 annoucement 240409 03 Meanwhile, in one of his first decisions as Umno leader, Najib axed eight state party chiefs, retaining only five incumbents.

He himself will be heading Selangor while his deputy, Muhyiddin Yassin, will lead Federal Territories.

Top party leaders have been appointed to head the liaison committees in all opposition-held states - Selangor, Penang, Kedah and Kelantan.

The move is seen to strengthen the party and is directed to winning back the states which had fell to the opposition in the political tsunami in the last general election.

Also notable replacements include vice-president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to head Penang replacing former president and former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Meanwhile, another vice-president Mohd Shafie Apdal has been picked to head Kedah while Hishamuddin Hussein will lead Terengganu, replacing embattled menteri besar Ahmad Said, who has been demoted to deputy chief.

Rafidah appointed supreme council member

When asked why non-local leaders are being brought in to head those states, Najib replied he was exercising his prerogative as president.

"The vice-presidents are qualified as the won the vice-presidency posts," he said.

umno supreme council 2009 annoucement 240409 02 Najib also announced the re-appointment of Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor ( left ) as secretary-general, who has served in that post under two former presidents - Abdullah and Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah is the new treasurer while Ahmad Maslan has been picked as information chief, replacing Muhammad Muhd Taib.

On the appointment of additional members to the supreme council, Najib picked Kamilia Ibrahim (Wanita deputy chief), Razali Ibrahim (Umno Youth deputy chief) and Wan Norashikin Wan Nordin (Perak Puteri chief).

Other members included Information, Communications and Culture Minister Rais Yatim, Ministers in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz and Jamil Khir Baharom and Federal Territories Minister Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin.

Others included old faces - Abdul Aziz Sheikh Fadzir, former Umno vice-president Mohd Ali Rustam, former Wanita chief Rafidah Aziz, Johor menteri besar Abdul Ghani Othman and former Perlis menteri besar Shahidan Kassim.

A notable absentee in the line-up is former information chief Muhd Taib who lost in the deputy presidency contest to Muhyiddin.

Najib argued that veteran leaders such as Shahidan and Rafidah are appointed as they can still make a contribution to the party.

Committee to review Umno polls

He also announced the formation of a committee to recommend amendments to the Umno constitution in relation to party polls.

"This is part of a liberalisation process of the party where we want a bigger pool of members to select their leaders. The committee would study the proposal and get back to the supreme council," he said.

"The proposals would then be tabled at the party's special assembly later this year," he said.

Najib also said despite criticisms of the removal of the Entrepreneur Development Ministry, the matter had been explained to supreme council members, who are receptive to the change.

"We do not want a ‘pertindihan’ (doubling of functions in the ministries). The proposal was looked at by deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin, who was the former international trade and industries minister, and present minister Mustapa Mohamad.

"They also felt it was a right move to incorporate the agencies from the old ministry to other sectors," he said.

To a question on whether foreign banks would be allowed to have a stake in local banks, Najib said: "Wait for the announcement on Monday.”

Meanwhile, newly-appointed Penang Umno chief, Ahmad Zahid said Umno was prepared to give PKR a fight in Penanti.
"I am not afraid to meet Anwar (Ibrahim) in Penanti," he said, adding that he will try get support of the Malays there to win the seat.

New appointments

Secretary-general: Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor

Treasurer-general: Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah

Information chief: Ahmad Maslan

State liaison chiefs

Perlis: Md Isa Sabu

Kedah:

Mohd Shafie Apdal

Penang: Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi

Perak: Dr Zambry Abd Kadir

Selangor: Najib Abdul Razak

Federal Territories: Muhyiddin Yassin

Negeri Sembilan:

Mohamad Hasan*

Malacca: Mohd Ali Rustam*

Johor: Abdul Ghani Othman*

Pahang: Adnan Yaakob*

Terengganu: Hishammuddin Hussein

Kelantan: Mustapa Mohamed

Sabah: Musa Aman*

*incumbent

Appointed supreme council members

1. Dr Rais Yatim

2. Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz

3. Senator Jamil Khir Baharom

4. Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin

5. Mohd Ali Rustam

6. Rafidah Aziz

7. Abdul Ghani Othman

8. Shahidan Kassim

9. Aziz Sheikh Fadzir

10. Kamalia Ibrahim

11. Razali Ibrahim

12. Dr Wan Norashikin Wan Nordin

VIDEO|5 mins