Umno president Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today said there is little he can do about money politics in the party if no evidence is provided to substantiate the allegations.

"I have heard of these allegations, but no one comes forward to give evidence so what can I do then?" he told a press conference at the party's 55th annual general assembly in Kuala Lumpur.

However, he said if anybody comes forward with evidence then even the top office bearers who were elected yesterday, will not be spared by the party's disciplinary committee.

"If somebody comes forward, the committee must take it up, it is their responsibility. Wrong is wrong - winning the seat does not legitimise your wrongdoing," he stressed.

The 'shocking' Umno poll results yesterday have spurred yet another round of vote-buying allegations within the party.

The biggest surprise was Federal Territories Minister Mohd Isa Samad who secured the highest number of votes to become a vice-president.

However, Abdullah, who is also prime minister, said no one was being investigated so far for breaching party election rules.

"If it is merely a wild allegation, we will not take action as it is very unfair," he told a barrage of reporters who bombarded him with questions on money politics.

Asked if he would consider introducing a direct voting system to curb this vice, the premier said he has never thought of it.

Not shocked

On yesterday's election results, Abdullah said he was not shocked by the outcome and that he respected the decision made by the delegates.

"I thought some would do better, some have not done so good. Some ministers have not been voted in. But I once lost and was out of Umno. This is what politics is about," he said.

"A majority of supreme council members are in their 40s, so the future decision makers are young. The line-up is a mixture of the new and old," he added.

The premier also erupted into laughter when asked if there will be a cabinet reshuffle based on the latest development. He said he had not thought about this either.

On whether there was still a place for prominent political figures who lost in the party race, Abdullah said he had yet to decide on the matter.

"There are some more posts that I need to fill. I have to think who will be the people who should be appointed to the supreme council," he said, referring to his prerogative to appoint 10 additional council members.

Incumbents Information Minister Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir, Higher Education Minister Dr Shafie Salleh and Home Minister Azmi Khalid all lost in the contest for the powerful supreme council seats.

Umno polls chart