GEORGE TOWN: Penang Umno has given its full backing to Umno president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his deputy Datuk Seri Najib Razak to defend the top two posts in the party.

State Umno deputy chief Datuk Seri Abdul Rashid Abdullah said that was the unanimous stand of all 13 divisions in Penang.

"We will nominate Abdullah and Najib to defend their positions as Umno president and deputy president respectively.

"They are a formidable combination and all the Umno divisions in Penang are united in giving our full support to them."

Abdul Rashid said this after the state Umno liaison committee meeting, which was chaired by Abdullah at the party headquarters yesterday. Also present was Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop.
Abdullah said he had conveyed to Penang Umno the supreme council's decision that all divisional meetings in the run-up to the party elections can only be officiated by the respective divisional chiefs.

He said the branch meetings would be officiated by the division chief on a combined basis.

"This also applies to the Youth, Wanita and Puteri wings."

Abdullah said he also explained at length current issues within Umno and the steps which were being taken by the government to handle inflation and the economy.

On another matter, Abdullah said Penang Umno was set to undergo a new beginning that would see the party strengthening itself further. He said a series of measures would be taken to achieve this, including enhancing the party's membership, management and other activities.

Meanwhile, there was a slight commotion outside the Umno headquarters as a group of Jelutong Umno division members waited for Abdullah's arrival.

The group, which was unhappy with the Jelutong Umno pro-tem committee's decision to recommend the closure of 18 branches in the division, handed a protest note to Abdullah.

State Wanita Umno liaison committee secretary Datin Marina Puteh, who led the group, claimed the pro-tem committee's recommendation was not fair and wanted Abdullah to look into the matter.

The Jelutong Umno division has been having a lot of internal problems and is now managed by a pro-tem committee.