No decision yet on cooperation for Melaka polls, says Umno

Umno has yet to decide whether to work with any party or to contest independently in the Melaka state election, deputy president Mohamad Hasan says.

Mohamad, who is also Umno’s election director, said what was important now was that the party be prepared to face any eventuality in the polls.

“Let’s not expect outside help for us to win. We must build our own internal strength,” he told reporters after a meeting with the Melaka Umno machinery in Alor Gajah last night.

Also present were state Umno liaison committee chairman Ab Rauf Yusoh and Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan.

Asked about the willingness of Melaka Perikatan Nasional (PN) to hold talks with Umno to avoid three-cornered fights during the polls, Mohamad said it was up to the state division.

“It is up to the state Umno, and it will need to propose to central Umno as it cannot make its own decision. Must get approval from central (Umno). If central (Umno) says okay then it’s okay (to work with the state PN),” he said.

He said the party machinery at the polling district centre level had been instructed to make preparations to face the election.

Meanwhile, Mohamad said the memberships of Sungai Udang assemblyman Idris Haron and Pantai Kundur assemblyman Noor Azman Hassan were automatically revoked after they were on stage with the opposition.

He said the matter was stipulated in the amendment to the party’s constitution, made at the Umno general assembly last year.

A notification letter on the revocation will be handed over to Idris and Noor Azman in the near future.