Rafidah against Razaleigh's EGM call, citing 'this is not the time'

KUALA LUMPUR, Fri:

Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz has disagreed with the call by Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah for an Umno EGM to discuss the party’s disastrous March 8 polls outing, saying that “this is not the time”. 

“We have suffered some setbacks during the elections. Let us not worsen the situation by dissipating the energy,” she said. “This is a time for the leadership to galvanise the party and Umno, with the other BN component parties, must unite and work together.”

She was speaking to reporters after chairing a Wanita Umno Exco meeting, joined by her deputy Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.

Rafidah said that galvanising the party was not a “one-man show” but steps are being taken to investigate and rectify what went wrong.

Shahrizat said that all the members are solidly behind Rafidah and there should not be any attempt of trying to divide the party.
“The party has lost. So what? Don’t underestimate us. We will rise again,” Shahrizat said.
Nevertheless, Rafidah, who maintains she is committed to strengthening and restoring public confidence in Wanita Umno, conceded it was also time for some soul-searching. 

“Wanita Umno Exco, members and myself will go to the grassroots and strategise on how to win back voters,” she said.

“Our communication unit has already completed the first level analysis. We will conduct post-mortems on division and state levels, and compile the findings. The final report will be handed to the leaders of the party for them to take action. We will do what whatever needs doing for Wanita Umno to be effective in strengthening the party,” she said.

Rafidah said Wanita Umno will also call for a meeting with the component parties to strategise at the Wanita BN level.

--NST

Improper, Says Hishammuddin On Razaleigh's Intention To Stand For Top Umno Post

PUTRAJAYA, March 21 (Bernama) -- Improper.

This was what Umno Youth head Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said when asked on Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah's intention to stand for the President's post in the upcoming party elections.

He said the time was not right for Tengku Razaleigh to challenge Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi when all quarters had expressed full support to his leadership.

"It will raise questions as to whether the intention is sincere, or is it an attempt to take advantage of the present difficult situation," he told reporters at the Education Ministry here today.

Tengku Razaleigh was reported to have said that he was prepared to shoulder the responsibility, including by contesting for the Umno president's post, to restore the party's image which had been dented by its poor showing in the March 8 general election.

On a declaration of 25 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) for the setting up of a Malay Solidarity Action Front (MSAF), Hishammuddin who is Education Minister, said: "I will support it provided that it is for the good of all the people, the effort in sincere and honest and it really can unify the Malays."

The Malay/Muslim NGOs yesterday reached a consensus to establish the MSAF whose role is to unify the Malays regardless of their political beliefs, safeguard the interests of the race and protect the sanctity of Islam.

Hishammuddin said all quarters should understand that the issue was not of race but of reality.

"Now we see that the Malays are willing to vote for the DAP, the Chinese voting for Pas. Perhaps, it is good to group the Malays together if the intention is good; to inject the spirit that our efforts must continue.

"But at the same time, we hope the awareness can be targeted at all races because Barisan Nasional represents all races and it must convince other people that the Barisan Nasional government is consistent in this regard," he said.

-- BERNAMA