In a bid to pacify the growing group of Umno members outraged by a purge carried out by his deputy Najib Abdul Razak to consolidate power, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will meet Mohd Ali Rustam, the Malacca chief minister who was barred from taking part in internal party polls because of alleged involvement in vote buying.
Ali Rustam, a veteran Umno politician, is seen as aligned to Abdullah, the outgoing party president. The frontrunner in the race for the deputy president post, Ali was blocked by a rival group of party leaders close to Najib, the incoming party president.
Najib, who is also due to take over as the country’s sixth prime minister early next month, prefers Muhyiddin Yassin, the Trade Minister, to be his No. 2. By convention, the Umno deputy president also becomes the country’s deputy prime minister.
Both Najib and his mentor, ex-premier Mahathir Mohamad, owe Muhyiddin a favour for helping them lead an internal rebellion against Abdullah late last year that culminated in the latter being forced to accept early retirement.
Migty pen
18/03/09
Ali Rustam, a veteran Umno politician, is seen as aligned to Abdullah, the outgoing party president. The frontrunner in the race for the deputy president post, Ali was blocked by a rival group of party leaders close to Najib, the incoming party president.
Najib, who is also due to take over as the country’s sixth prime minister early next month, prefers Muhyiddin Yassin, the Trade Minister, to be his No. 2. By convention, the Umno deputy president also becomes the country’s deputy prime minister.
Both Najib and his mentor, ex-premier Mahathir Mohamad, owe Muhyiddin a favour for helping them lead an internal rebellion against Abdullah late last year that culminated in the latter being forced to accept early retirement.
Migty pen
18/03/09
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