Shahrir Refutes Report Saying Johor Umno To Ask PM To Step Down

http://www.malaysia-today.net/2008/content/view/5790/84/


Posted by kasee
Wednesday, 09 April 2008

Bernama) PUTRAJAYA, April 9 -- Johor Baru Umno chief Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad refuted reports that Johor Umno has approved a resolution calling for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to step down.
According to him, there was no resolution made at the state Umno meeting recently.
"The meeting did not pass any resolution or take any decision to be conveyed to the Umno president. Those present shared the views and on my part, I stated that rehabilitating Umno should be the main priority," he told a press conference to announce the National Intellectual Property Day 2008 here Wednesday.He was responding to a news report in a neigbouring country which said Johor Umno would ask the prime minister to step down in a way that would not humiliate him.When asked whether support from Johor Umno for the prime minister was still strong, Shahrir, who is Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs minister, said "if you ask my opinion, I think it is still strong." According to Shahrir, no decisions were announced during the state Umno meeting earlier."So what you hear was what someone inferred about the meeting."But as far as I can see, there was no definitive conclusion that the PM should step down," he said, adding that the idea was that Umno had to consolidate the party first.
"The priority is to consolidate the party... eventually the PM will step down, isn't it?," he said.Shahrir said said Umno faced a similar predicament in 1999, which was also described as a "wake-up call" at that time to rejuvenate the party."But when we (Barisan Nasional) won a huge mandate in 2004, I think the rejuvenation plans were put on the backburner because of the astounding victory,' he said.He said money politics then came to the fore to the point an Umno vice president was suspended because of it.He said its was possible the big victory in 2004 lulled the party into complacency only to face a major setback in this year's polls."It does not mean it was weak leadership on the part of (Datuk Seri) Abdullah but the responsibility should be shouldered by Umno leaders at the state and division levels.Asked if any of the (Johor) divisions called for Abdullah to step down, Shahrir said: "I felt it was not openly stated. That is why I was surprised by the report carried in the Business Times of Singapore."He said that it would be better to wait for the meeting between Abdullah and Johor Umno scheduled on Friday to get a correct picture of the situation.