Umno still has not decided its stand on teaching Maths and Science in English because party head Dr Mahathir Mohamad was not present at the supreme council meeting in the Umno headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today.

The prime minister was unable to attend because he was in Alor Setar, Kedah, as his elder brother, Mashahor Mohamad, passed away this morning. He was 79.

Deputy president Abdullah Ahmad Badawi chaired the meeting instead.

Abdullah said that although they had not made a decision, the issue had been discussed and all views raised during the meeting would be passed on to Mahathir when the opportunity arose.

No jostling

On the issue of whether Wanita leaders were eligible to contest for posts in Puteri Umno, Abdullah said that current party rules allowed for it, but further studies would be undertaken by the head of the constitutional committee, vice-president Muhyiddin Mohd Yassin.

However, Abdullah also asserted that he hoped such jostling for positions would not occur, as it would only be fair for the leaders to serve their full term in their respective post.

"It is better if someone who already holds a post in whichever wing stays with that post and doesn't compete for other posts even though there may be a vacancy.

"This is only fair because the holder of the post has already pledged themselves to the organisation that they will lead," he said.

Abdullah added that while it is now possible for Wanita leaders to contest for positions in Puteri, in the future, it may also be possible for Puteri leaders to challenge for posts in Wanita.

The top post at Puteri Umno, currently held by pro tem chief Azalina Othman, is currently open to nominations for potential challengers, with the inaugural elections to be held on Nov 1.

So far, four women have publicly stated their intent to take on Azalina for the position, but none of them have been nominated.

When asked about the police report lodged against Azalina by her former aide, Elly Zalilah Yusof, regarding discrepancies within the young women's wing, Abdullah said that the police report was not presented to the Umno management committee.

He said that the party's disciplinary committee would be handling the matter, in which Elly was issued a show-cause letter last week.

Muhd Taib in charge

At the meeting, Abdullah also announced that vice-president Muhammad Muhd Taib would be co-ordinating the upcoming Gaya parliamentary by-elections in Sabah on Oct 12.

"All our activities in Gaya will be organised by Barisan Nasional's electoral secretariat and we in the peninsula will give our full support to them," he said.