[UPDATED] Umno urges BN states to align state law with anti-hopping bill

KUALA LUMPUR – Umno has urged states under the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration to amend their respective state laws or enactments following the passing of the historic anti-hopping bill in the Dewan Rakyat last Thursday. 

Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan said Umno will consult its legal advisers on amendments needed to be made to the party’s constitution.

“In other words, the Umno constitution will be amended again but we will consult our legal advisers (on the clauses),” he told reporters at the Umno headquarters at Menara Datuk Onn.

Yesterday, DAP announced that its plans to amend party constitution to remove the membership of MPs and assemblymen who fail to toe the party line “on certain matters” is yet to be defined. 

Secretary-general Anthony Loke said this is in line with the constitutional amendments to prevent party-hopping. Loke said DAP will hold a special congress on September 25 to propose amendments. 

Meanwhile, Ahmad said the Supreme Council meeting acknowledged the requirements set by Registrar of Societies (RoS) over the minor amendments to the party’s constitution that were approved last Friday. 

“Following the amendment, there will be no election for positions in the branch level, divisional representative meetings, and general assembly, and there will not be an election for positions at all levels this time around,” the Pontian MP said.

He also said the Supreme Council meeting has decided that the party’s general assembly will be held from November 23 to 26.

Asked if the Supreme Council meeting this evening touched on the date of the next general election (GE15), Ahmad sidestepped the question saying he would only speak about matters mentioned in the press statement issued this evening.

“The meeting was two hours long,” he said. 

“If we were to record everything, it could have been a book.” 

However, Ahmad also urged party machinery at all levels to focus on preparation for the looming polls.

Other Supreme Council leaders also remained tight-lipped over the dates of the general election. 

Kinabatangan MP Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin was quick to deny that the date for GE was discussed as “it was just a normal meeting. A monthly meeting.”

His colleague, Datuk Seri Abd Rauf Jusoh, also said the meeting was merely a routine one where the party top brass discussed current issues and expressed appreciation to RoS for allowing Umno to postpone its party polls for six months. – The Vibes, August 4, 2022