UMNO General Assembly Seeks Justice for Najib, Requests Royal Pardon

UMNO General Assembly to Address Najib's Pardon and Party Future

The upcoming UMNO General Assembly, scheduled for January 14-17 in Kuala Lumpur, is set to address several key issues, including calls for justice for former Prime Minister Najib Razak and requests for a royal pardon. According to UMNO Secretary-General Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, the party headquarters has received 662 proposals from 175 divisions across the country. Out of these, 104 proposals are directly related to Najib, with many urging the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King of Malaysia) to grant him a full pardon.

Asyraf emphasized that the representatives are well-aware that the power of pardon lies solely with the King and not with the government. He also noted that there were no proposals suggesting UMNO's withdrawal from the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition or advocating for stronger collaboration with other political parties. However, Asyraf made it clear that UMNO would not restrict its delegates from expressing their opinions during the debates.

Recent discussions within the party have sparked debate, particularly after UMNO Youth Chief Akmal Saifudeen suggested exiting the PN government and collaborating with the opposition Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS). This proposal was swiftly rejected by the party's central leadership. Asyraf stated that any discussion about potential collaborations with other parties is premature, given that the next general election is still expected to take place after three more UMNO General Assemblies.

No specific proposals targeting the Democratic Action Party (DAP) were submitted this year, according to Asyraf. Similar to previous years, the assembly will only be attended by representatives from component parties of Barisan Nasional (BN) and 'friends of BN.' Asyraf explained that the focus is on internal party discussions, allowing members to speak freely without external pressures.

The four-day event at the World Trade Center in Kuala Lumpur is expected to draw over 6,000 delegates. The assembly will serve as a platform for UMNO members to voice their concerns and shape the party's direction moving forward.