Negri Sembilan menteri besar,and Umno Supreme Council member Mohamad Hasan, said he tabled the motion to defer party elections by 18 months, not party president Najib Abdul Razak.
Mohamad said he had to make this revelation following claims it was a ploy for Najib to strengthen his position, he was quoted by Star Online today.
"Too much rubbish is being circulated by those bent on discrediting Umno and its leaders.
"I would like to state here that I was the one who tabled the motion and am prepared to take full responsibility for it," Mohamad was quoted to have said.
He added Najib never mentioned or proposed that party polls should be deferred.
Mohamad said they (supreme council) members agreed the Umno polls take up a lot of time, and they would not be able to give equal focus on preparations for the general election.
It was reported that the party had postponed the party elections slated at the end of next year for another 18 months in a bid to make the party stronger.
While analysts like University of Tasmania's Asian Institute head James Chin , described the move was for Najib to cling on to power, others like Wan Saiful Wan Jan ( photo ), who runs the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas) said the move can be seen as an admission that the party president, is under threat.
Malaysia had its general election two years ago, and another has to be called within the next three years.
Kit Siang: Postponement good news
Meanwhile, DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang said Umno's decision to postpone was a blessing in disguise for the Opposition as Najib would be an easier target in the 14th general election.
He said in a statement today that Najib had to contend with an avalanche of scandals including the continuing internal Umno struggle.
“Never before in Malaysia has a PM amassed such a huge brew of socio-economic and political scandals within so short a time, creating a most explosive mix with far-reaching consequences in the next general election.
“Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor (photo) was not being candid, when he admitted that the postponement was due to the current political crisis but not related to Najib's 1Malaysia Development Bhd which is embroiled in controversy.
“Unlike the 13th general elections, the RM42 billion 1MDB scandal will be the lead 'scandal' in the next general elections although desperate attempts are being made to defuse it,” he said, such as claims that the scandals were all based on “tampered” emails.
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The Gelang Patah MP, also pointed to other controversies in Najib's time involving Felda Global Venture Bhd (FGV), Tabung Haji, the goods and services tax, weak Malaysian ringgit and now Mara’s property scandals in Australia.
He warned there were no signs that Najib could not bring all these issues under firm check and control.
He said Umno and BN coalition seems to infected by the “make hay while the sun shines” syndrome, even if it is for an ever-shortening period of three or less years.
Lim ( photo ) added Najib could claim limited success, in not only breaking up Pakatan but also PAS, but he could afford to continue with his game of irresponsible politicking, such giving his support to the PAS president’s Abdul Hadi Awang's private member’s bill on hudud implementation in Parliament.
“A golden opportunity seems to have been lost to Malaysians for Pakatan, which won 52 percent of voter support in the 13th general election. However, Pakatan had fallen into Umno’s trap and ceased to exist," he said.
“There is no Pakatan if there is no Common Policy Framework and the Pakatan consensus operational principle.
“I do not believe that Pakatan can mount a serious challenge to overthrow Umno-BN coalition in the next general election if Pakatan abandons its Common Policy Framework and operates purely as an opportunistic alliance."
Lim said there needs to be a realignment of political forces in the country, to fulfill the the people’s hopes and aspirations in the 13th general election.
