Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said the new Umno election process would mirror the method used by the Election Commission (EC) for the general election, to pick the party leadership.

NONE "We will follow the procedure of the Election Commission. We have an election committee for national level, and for state. The states will look after the divisions. The national election committee will take care of national posts.

"All ballot papers will be prepared by the headquarters and distributed. They will mark a cross, just like (what was done in) the general election. But the EC will not be present," he told reporters after opening a Federal Territory-level Rakan Muda Ramadan completion of the Quran programme in Putrajaya today.

Last May, Prime Minister Najib Razak said the selection method would still be detailed, whether through the raising of hand, biometric, permanent ink or other means.

At the Umno supreme council meeting yesterday, he announced that the Umno supreme council meeting would be held simultaneously, with the division delegates meeting on Oct 5.

The prime minister also announced that the election for the highest posts in Wanita Umno, Youth and Puteri would be held separately on Sept 28, while the Umno Assembly would be from Dec 2-7.

Phantom Umno members?

Tengku Adnan said, seeing the method would be implemented for the first time, identity cards would be scanned earlier at the branch meetings to determine they were legitimate Umno members.

"This is because, the members of the branches will be picked as delegates for the division meetings and they will pick the national leadership... about 150,000 of them will pick the leadership. So, we want to ensure those attending are genuine Umno members," he said.

In the meantime, Tengku Adnan regards his appointment as Federal Territory Umno Liaison Committee chief as a homecoming as he had held the post in 2001.

"I will work hard. I think I know why I was asked to head the Federal Territory because we want to achieve a better win," he said.

- Bernama