Umno deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin will address Umno members in his own way at next month’s Umno General Assembly, said former information minister Zainuddin Maidin.
Umno will break convention this year by having the Umno Youth, Wanita and Puteri chiefs officiate the assemblies of the respective wings themselves, instead of having the party number two do the honours.
“Even though barred from officiating the three Umno wings during the December party AGM, deputy president Muhyiddin has his own way to deliver his speech to continue this age-old tradition.
“However, he did not tell me how he will deliver this speech, which will certainly attract attention,” Zainuddin said on his blog.
Umno president Najib Abdul Razak said yesterday the respective wing chiefs had requested to officiate their own AGMs , to create a positive atmosphere.
Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Mansor said this year's party AGM would be a closed-door event, and the debates and speeches would not be broadcast in the Umno headquarters lobby as per usual.
Umno vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein would give a daily press conference at the end of proceedings, on the issues covered.
Muhyiddin was sacked as deputy prime minister in July, but remained as deputy president.
Zainuddin, an Umno stalwart, said he spoke with Muhyiddin over anticipated restrictions against him at the AGM at Zainuddin’s café in Putrajaya recently.
He also doubted Najib’s claim that the decision to not have Muhyiddin speak at the AGMs of the Wanita, Youth and Puteri wings, but believes it is because Najib is “afraid”.
The former Utusan Malaysia chief editor said these restrictions would backfire and boost Muhyiddin’s popularity.
“The popular question is why Najib wants to stop his deputy president from doing something which is Umno tradition, and does not the breach party constitution.
“This is because Muhyiddin would have used this platform to reveal all. He knows the country is waiting for his speech,” Zainuddin said.
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