Candidates for high posts in Umno must be respected figures: Hisham

PORT DICKSON: Although the quota system will be done away with, a new condition will be imposed whereby aspirants of high posts in Umno must be respected figures, said Umno vice president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.
Hishammuddin, who is also Home Minister, said the party president and deputy president were not worried about the abolishing of the quota system but did not want a system that was too open to the point that could lead to abuse by irresponsible parties.
"We do not want a situation where someone who is a non-member signs up as member just before the party holds polls and offers himself for the president's post," he told reporters Tuesday after chairing a meeting of a committee tasked with overseeing proposed amendments to Umno's constitution when the party holds it annual assembly later this month.
Hishammuddin said Tuesday's meeting was held to discuss the setting of minimum requirements for new members (who want to contest leadership posts) and that this would be deliberated at a special meeting during the general assembly.
"We need to fine tune the new system a bit because there were views from below of such a scenario," he said, adding that with the changes mooted, Umno was well on track towards meeting its transformation goals following the Barisan Nasional's poor showing in the last general election.
Under the old quota system, aspirants had to get a certain minimum number of nominations from the party's divisions in order to contest a top post in the party.
The higher the post, the higher the number of nominations that was needed. - Bernama

tunku : too much freedom or too democratic is not good sometime.there must be a guideline for those who wish to contest for top post in umno.for top post like the vice president and above, the person should be an active Umno member for at least 15years. we can't have a person who is an Umno member for few months to contest for the vice president post and above or the wing's chief.the person should not have discipline record with the party such as suspended for abuse of power or corruption and of course not criminal record.this is real important.the person should be an Umno loyalist and clean from any charges.if the person was ex umno member(rejoin), he should not contest any post in Umno for at least 6 years.of course the current quota system should be abolished and the divisions should be allowed to vote for the leaders not the delegates to the general assembly.