KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 11 — Only the four Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties and their six “friends” are invited to the Umno general assembly that kicks off this week, the Malay nationalist party’s secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan announced today.
He said no other party, even its allies in the coalition government under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, nor the usual foreign ambassadors are invited this time as Umno will be dealing with its internal affairs.
“There are no foreign ambassadors nor unity government parties because we want to complete the affairs for the next step,” he told reporters at the launch of the party’s media website for the general assembly here.
The BN coalition comprises Umno, MIC, MCA and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah.
There are eight political outfits categorised as “Friends of BN” altogether, but the six that have been invited are: Parti Cinta Malaysia (PCM), Malaysia India Muslim Congress (Kimma), Makkal Sakti, Parti Ikatan Bangsa Malaysia (Ikatan), Malaysia United Indian Party (MUIP) and Barisan India Progresif Se-Malaysia (AMIPF).
Ahmad also said Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will brief party delegates on matters concerning the federal “unity government”, but that it will be behind closed doors.
“The closed door briefing is to brief, inform and educate the delegates over the meaning and objective of the unity government,” he said.
The Umno general assembly this year was deferred from last year, due to the 15th general election that was held in November.
The party assembly at the World Trade Centre here will begin with the opening ceremony for the three wings – Women, Youth and Puteri – tonight and continue with their respective conferences tomorrow.
The main party assembly will kick off on Friday.
