Najib Hopes His Leadership Will Get Support Of New And Old Leaders

KUALA TERENGGANU, July 26 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak Friday night said he hoped the country's leadership transition process in 2010 would go smoothly with the new administration in place receiving the support of all quarters, including new and old leaders.
The Deputy Prime Minister said if Umno was not supported by both old and new leaders, the party would have a bleak future.
He said the support of all quarters, including Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is also president of Umno, was important after the transition so that he could lead the country well and continue the agenda to bring development to the people.
"I hope Pak Lah (Abdullah) will support me when he no longer holds any post.
I hope his supporters will do the same for the new leadership," he said when speaking at Mubarak's general assembly and annual dinner here. Mubarak is an association for former members of parliament and state assemblymen.
Also present were his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said and Mubarak acting president Tan Sri Abu Zahar Ujang.
Najib, who is also Umno deputy president, said he further hoped former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who has left Umno, would rejoin the party when he took over the helm.
"I hope all who have misgivings about Umno will come back to its fold to continue the party's struggle. If this can become a reality, old and new leaders reuniting as one family, Umno will become stronger and more resilient to face the next general election," he said.
He said Umno and the Barisan Nasional actually had done a good job in bringing progress to the nation but now its leaders needed to be more in sync with the aspirations of the people to continue getting their support (in the election).
Umno leaders, he said, also needed to adapt better to the changing situation and be more people-oriented if they wanted the people to continue to back them.
"Umno leaders must not give the people the perception that the party is a money making machine and return to the basics, that is to serve the people with diligence and honesty. Do this and the people will not hesitate to support us," he said.

tunku : you will get tremendous support if you act now, not wait till june 2010. if you wait till then, you will have divided support from umno members and that is for sure. the choice is yours najib.