Kuala Lumpur, NU Online
Umno has accepted the resignation of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad from the party but hopes that he will return “some day”.
The decision was announced by the party deputy president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak after a three-and-a-half-hour special supreme council meeting chaired by Umno president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.<>
At the press conference, which started after midnight, Abdullah asked his deputy to announce the decision on Dr Mahathir.
Najib said the supreme council had taken note of Dr Mahathir's official letter to leave the party.
“We have accepted the decision because it is his desire to leave the party. But we hope he will return one day,” he said.
To a question, Najib said he was prepared to meet with Dr Mahathir to discuss the resignation although “we (Umno) know his position and his stand”.
On Monday, the former Umno president and ex-prime minister dropped a bombshell at a forum when he announced that he was quitting the party.
He said he had lost confidence in Abdullah's ability to lead the party and the country and that Umno would fall apart if the present leader continued to be at the helm.
Dr Mahathir said he would only return to Umno when Abdullah stepped down as party leader and urged other party members to do the same to pressure the leader to resign.
However, the supreme council on Wednesday endorsed Abdullah's continued leadership.
On when Abdullah would hand over power, Najib who has been named as the successor said that it would be between the two of them.
He also said that the party did not expect an exodus of members out of the party.
“Our members are still with us. If they have any problems, we will solve it within the party,” he was quoted by thestar.com.my as saying.
Najib said the party had not received any other official resignation letter from members.
On Umno Youth exco member Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir's renewed call for Abdullah to step down immediately, Najib said the supreme council did not discuss the matter.
He said, however, any action taken by the management committee, which he heads, against Mukhriz would be guided by the views expressed by the Umno Youth exco.
The supreme council also decided that it would create a special political “rehabilitation” plan to move the party forward.
“We will have a special meeting to firm up the plan which would set Umno on a footing to move earnestly and with determination so that it will continue to gain the trust of the people,” he said. (dar)
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