IT was a significant victory for 33-year-old Khairy Jamaluddin on the night of 25 March 2009 when he won the Umno Youth race to become its new chief. Significant because Khairy beat favourite Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir by 72 votes and former Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo by 50 votes. This was [...]

KUALA LUMPUR, 25 March 2009: Umno supreme council member Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said allegations of money politics against her will not affect her chances to defend her seat in the party policy-making body. Azalina, who is also Tourism Minister, said a person was innocent until proven guilty and members would definitely make their [...]

KUALA LUMPUR, 25 March 2009: The rebranding of Umno does not involve just the changing of its label or outlook but must also be accompanied with efforts to scrutinise and improve its contents. This would involve party members and leaders themselves, said Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz. The Wanita Umno chief said: “Actually, it’s not Umno [...]

Corrected 12.15pm on 9 April 2009 MANY Umno leaders and analysts are talking about corruption in the party as if that is its biggest problem. After all, it was the justification used in barring party vice-president Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam from contesting for the party’s No. 2 post. And as Ali’s supporters have persuasively [...]

KUWAIT CITY, 23 March 2009: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has called for a stop to the employment of dirty tactics, including circulating libellous text messages as well as defaming people, in the run-up to the Umno elections this week. The Malaysian prime minister and Umno president said this should not be the way to [...]

Ali Rustam (File pic) PETALING JAYA, 19 March 2009: Veteran Umno politician Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah says ousted deputy presidential candidate Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam should ask the Registrar of Societies (ROS) to stop the party polls next week for being denied his right to contest. In remarks which appear geared towards preventing the elections [...]