The so-called Sarawak Umno protem committee (JPUNS) has been described as just another 'irritant' by Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud.

He said JPUNS did not have the blessings of Umno's top leadership and there were similar groups going around promoting various parties whenever there were talks of elections around the corner.

"We have been witnessing this from time to time, ambitious people promoting parties, not only Umno, but other parties before. They try to make themselves important by promoting new parties," he was quoted by the Borneo Post as saying yesterday.

"But they did not get the approval of Umno itself. We regard this as one of those irritants we have from time to time. This is not the first time," Taib said, adding that on the whole the people understood the matter.

"It needs proper perspective. While a few are worried that this may split the Malays, a lot of them ignore it as the ambitions of a few disgruntled politicians," the chief minister said.

No Umno blessings

Taib said he was aware that Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak who are the top leaders of Umno did not give their blessings to these people.

JPUNS was set up on Sept 11 last year. Since then, it has an office in Matang flying the Umno emblem and flag outside.

Umno secretary-general Radzi Sheikh Ahmad said in November that the party never gave permission to anybody to set up Umno in Sarawak.

Last week, Najib, who is Umno deputy president, said Umno was not spreading its wings to the state.