The rift in Penang Umno, evident in the tussle over 17 ‘deactivated’ branches in Jelutong, has widened with the announcement that the latter will hold an annual general meeting (AGM) next week.

NONE Bazir Ahmad ( left ), appointed division head at a division committee meeting yesterday by the 17 branches, said this would allow members to decide the future direction of the party in the state.

“We have decided to do this because we want to preserve the good name of our beloved party, Umno,” said the Jalan Kampar branch chief at a press conference attended by the branch leaders.

“I have been given the mandate by members of the branches and I will do my best to carry on the good work of the party. We are doing this to prevent others from taking advantage of the split here to create problems for the people, especially the Malay community (in Jelutong).”

NONE Bazir claimed that the branches, purported dissolved by the state leadership last month, are still active as no one has received any notice of closure either from the supreme council or the Registrar of Societies.

Therefore, its members have decided to hold an AGM on July 12, as provided in the constitution of the branches.

Penang information chief Azhar Ibrahim ( right ) had declared last month that the branches had been deactivated due to several problems in their membership lists.

This was immediately refuted by the branch leaders, who challenged Azhar to show proof of dissolution.

‘Need to know status’

Pantai branch chief Abdul Wahab Abdullah claimed that the 17 branches have 4,500 registered members and most of them have supported Umno for more than 20 years.

It would be a pity to leave them stranded without any information regarding the status of the branches, he noted.

gerakan umno zahid hamidi penang penanti pc 150509 01 He said Penang liason chief Ahmad Zahid Hamidi ( left ) will be invited to officially open the AGM.

“This is a very important issue and we want to do our best to return Umno to its former status. Ahmad Zahidi must resolve this problem,” he said.

The branches were said to have been suspended since 2008. Members of the closed branches have supposedly been absorbed into the other 25 branches.

Prior to this, Jelutong had 42 branches, but the party considered only 25 to be active.

The leaders of the 17 branches ignored a division meeting held yesterday. It saw attendance by members of the approved branches, who appointed Abdul Razak Mohd Sultan as head.