Umno President Najib Abdul Razak came to officiate the Umno Pasir Gudang meeting today on his own accord, division chief Khaled Nordin revealed.

"This year's division meeting is very fortunate, because the president will officiate it.

"The president is the one who asked to officiate it, it was not the division's request," Khaled said in his division's chief speech made before Najib arrived at the event.

The Johor menteri besar said Najib had told the Umno secretariat two months ago that he wanted to officiate the assembly.

Najib has been making rounds of the party’s divisional annual general meetings over the past weeks to defend himself against 1MDB allegations, yesterday even claiming the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has cleared him of any corruption.

The embattled party president is facing particularly strong criticism from the southern state, which is the stronghold of his former deputy Muhyiddin Yassin ( photo ) whom Najib had recently expelled from his cabinet in a controversial reshuffle.

'Behave yourselves'

In his speech, Khaled told delegates to behave themselves even though they were sore with what had happened to Muhyiddin.

"We will be good and disciplined hosts," he said.

The delegates had previously been told they could ask the party president anything.

Khaled had also said Umno can't keep quiet over controversies, and members must be loyal to the party not individuals.

After his speech as Pasir Gudang chief, Khaled then made a second speech after Najib's arrival, in his capacity as Johor Umno chief.

In his second speech, Khaled said members must trust Najib to steer the party, and continue respecting Muhyiddin at the same time.