Umno's disciplinary panel to get more powers

By AHMAD FAIRUZ OTHMAN AND RIZALMAN HAMMIM
SEGAMAT
news@nst.com.my

Party moves to prevent cases of sabotage ahead of general election

UMNO will expand the powers of its disciplinary committee to prevent any cases of sabotage among party members ahead of the next general election.

Its deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said this was to ensure that there was no action by party members which could jeopardise Umno's winning chances in the polls.

"I will meet the disciplinary committee chairman (Tan Sri Tengku Ahmad Rithauddeen Tengku Ismail) and its members to determine whether there is a need to reconstitute (the committee).

"We also must look into the need to have more members in the committee, because it would be difficult to have only one team doing the monitoring work," Muhyiddin said after visiting residents at Kampung Kebun Baru, Jementah near here.

Muhyiddin, who is also the deputy prime minister, said that more Umno veterans may be roped in to the disciplinary committee to weed out any cases of sabotage.

He said the committee would clearly define the forms of sabotage. "The scope of power would be different from what was previously done as it involves a different method of taking action against offenders."

On Friday night, after chairing the Umno supreme council meeting, party president Datuk Seri Najib Razak said Umno would activate its disciplinary committee to monitor the activities of its members from now onwards to ensure that they toe the party line until the next general election.

Muhyiddin said that cases of indiscipline among party members were normally known after the general election, but this time, it was more important for Umno to stop the problem from occurring at the onset.

"We will also conduct a briefing on this. This is not the same with disciplinary cases which have occurred in the past.

"Usually a disciplinary case is reported by a division, for example, and it involves a person who becomes an opposition candidate or a seconder for them.

"Previously it provided a basis for a report and only then would the committee call the said person."

However, Muhyiddin said the committee had a responsibility to weed out cases of slander from the actual cases of sabotage.

"The committee has to be detailed because it needs to be fair as this involves something that could jeopardise the party.

"We will discuss about its (the committee's) scope of power and the method of action," he said.

Earlier, in Pagoh, Muhyiddin handed over Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BRIM) vouchers at the Lenga community hall and presented land grants to settlers of the Felcra Paya Kepar at Kampung Kechik Bukit Kepong, Muar.

Meanwhile, Muhyiddin said that the government would consider extending the deadline to Feb 15 to submit applications for the RM500 Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) on a case-by-case basis.

"This move is to ensure that those who deserve the aid get it. There are many who have not received the forms. We will consider extending the deadline."

Umno deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin greeting residents of Kampung Kebun Baru, Jementah, Segamat, yesterday when he officially opened a futsal arena. Pic by Rasul Azli Samad

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Umno's disciplinary panel to get more powers

Party moves to prevent cases of sabotage ahead of general election

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