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No. 4485 PP 2644/12/2008 (020369)

Friday
April 4, 2008
TELLING IT AS IT IS www.sun2surf.com

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Hisham
makes
way
UMNO YOUTH

SHARIL AMIN/THE SUN

CHIEF NOT
DEFENDING
TOP POST
by Husna Yusop
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
PUTRAJAYA: Umno Youth chief Datuk Seri
Hishammuddin Hussein declared yesterday he
will not defend his post in the party elections in
December, refusing to openly endorse a possible
successor.
“We have to look forward. We have to do
changes and reforms, re-build the party and
the wing. And if the Youth is still in a situation
where they don’t know what my plans are come
December, that becomes a barrier for us to
move forward.
“I feel today might be the right time for me
to tell them about my plans after 10 years of
building the Youth from the time when it was
split to where it is now,” he said when asked
about the timing of the announcement.
Hishammuddin, who is also education
minister, was speaking after announcing the
ministry’s second report card for the Education
Development Master Plan (2006-2010). His
announcement fuels speculation that he is going
for a higher post.
But when asked if he was going for the
deputy president or vice-president post in
Umno, he said it was something for the
delegates to decide.
Umno has three vice-presidential seats, one
of which became vacant after Tan Sri Isa Samad
was suspended for dabbling in money politics.
The other elected vice-presidents are Datuk Seri
Ali Rustam and Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
On whether Youth members are courageous
and mature enough to choose a new leader, he
said yes and he welcomed a contest.
“Previously, what had hindered the two who
had offered themselves was my own position.
So now I am making it clear. Let there be no
hindrance and those who feel they are qualified,
they should offer themselves according to the
normal process and let the delegates decide,” he
said.
It was reported on Wednesday that Datuk
Mukhriz Mahathir and Datuk Seri Dr Mohd
Khir Toyo had said they would offer themselves
as candidates for the Youth chief post if
Hishammuddin declined to defend it.
Asked whether his deputy Khairy
Jamaluddin agreed with his decision not to
contest, Hishammuddin said it was his right to
do so.
“When I make a decision, it is usually in the
interest of the party. Not for the posts, material
or money,” he said, adding that he was not
pressured to let go of the post.
Asked if he wants Khairy to contest for the
Youth chief post, Hishammuddin said: “It is
New kids in
not for me to decide. I can only answer what is the House ...
within my control.”
Asked if he had a personal preference of a
successor, he said he had his own favourite but
B ATU MP Tian Chua (Parti
Keadilan Rakyat) and
Khairy Jamaluddin (Barisan
he would rather keep it to himself. Nasional), no strangers
When suggested that it is a tradition for the to speaking their minds
deputy to move up the ladder once the seat and taking their causes to
is vacated, he said it was not necessarily so, the streets, have another
as “(listening to) the voices from the ground, thing in common. They are
clearly they are in power.” newly-elected people’s
On whether he would accept any nomination representatives and will be
for the top two posts in Umno, he said he would making their Dewan Rakyat
not respond to that as it did not matter at this debut later this month.
point of time. “Our duty now is to rebuild They joined other MPs for
the party, look at how we have fared (in the orientation at Parliament
elections) and listen to the grassroots. We have House yesterday.
no time to think of certain posts or chase after
this or that. Our task is to rebuild the spirit of » Full report Page 2
our members in certain states,” he said.
Hishammuddin, the son of third prime
minister Tun Hussein Onn, also said he did not
expect a tough fight for the Youth chief post, PM meets
“unless people are not sincere and honest in
offering themselves”.
Penang CM...
When contacted for a response, Khairy said
he did not have any comments for the time
being while Mukhriz could not be reached on
his mobile phone.

New initiatives to contain inflation

KUALA LUMPUR: The government
is working on new initiatives to curb
inflation and is expected to announce
some of them soon, International
Trade & Industry Minister Tan Sri
Muhyiddin Yassin said yesterday.
“Some of these matters (pertain-
ing to the inflation issue) were high-
lighted by the prime minister during
the meeting,” he said when asked
to comment on the outcome of his
meeting in Putrajaya last Tuesday with
Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
and other ministers on efforts to curb
inflation.
“He (PM) also highlighted certain
things that must be looked at more
closely and what certain ministries
and agencies need to do.
“Once (Second Finance Minister)
Tan Sri Nor (Mohamed Yakcop) comes
back to the cabinet with his full report
on studies (on the country’s current
state of inflation and economy), then
the government will decide on the
new initiatives to curb inflation and (at
the same time) put more income into
the pockets of consumers,” he said
after an official visit to the Malaysian
Industrial Development Finance Bhd.
Muhyiddin declined to elaborate
on the new initiatives other than to
say that it will be a package to be an-
nounced by Abdullah soon, with some
of them expected to be implemented
before Budget 2009 is tabled.
When announcing his new cabinet
line-up recently, Abdullah had said his
priority was to support lower income
groups suffering from higher prices of
consumer goods.
Bank Negara Malaysia in its 2007
Annual Report released recently
noted that Malaysia was expected to
post a higher average headline infla-
tion of 2.5-3.0% this year compared
D ATUK Seri Abdullah Ah-
mad Badawi welcomes
Penang Chief Minister Lim
to 2% last year as a result of the
Guan Eng at Putrajaya. Lim
pass-through effect of global inflation
received an assurance that
as well as the continued strength of
federal projects planned for
domestic demand.
the state will be fulfilled.
The central bank said the period of
Abdullah in return advised
high uncertainty surrounding global
Lim to be careful with his
growth and inflation prospects was
words as he was now a
evident from the second half of last
government leader.
year and was expected to continue
this year. – Bernama » Full report Page 4