Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin has denied there are attempts to seal the lips of any individual with regard to the party’s upcoming annual general assembly.

He was commenting on whether the supreme council’s decision for Umno Youth, Wanita and Puteri chiefs to officiate at their respective assemblies was an attempt to silence deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin.

“There is no intention to silence anyone.

“It’s just that we think it would be more fitting for the assemblies to be officiated by their own respective chiefs,” he told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.

Umno vice-president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who was also present, when posed with the same question, had joked that he hoped there was no intention to do so.

“Maybe they have the intention, but I don't think so,” he said amid laughter.

Khairy explained that the request to officiate at the assemblies came from him as well as the Wanita and Puteri WING chiefs themselves.

“Officiating at the assemblies is not something that is stated in the (party) constitution or even in the standing orders. It’s just a convention.

“So for this year, we requested that the assemblies be officiated by the wings’ own chiefs,” he said.

Umno president Najib Abdul Razak yesterday admitted the party will be breaking with tradition to allow for the chiefs of the respective wings to officiate at the assemblies themselves.

By convention, the Umno deputy president officiates at the respective wings’ general assemblies.

Umno’s general assembly will be held at the party headquarters in Kuala Lumpur from Dec 8 to 12.