KUALA LUMPUR, 28 Jan 2009: Umno should restructure its organisation by abolishing its wings if it is really serious in getting rid of money politics.
The party’s Disciplinary Board chairperson, Tan Sri Tengku Ahmad Rithauddeen, in making the suggestion, said the move was necessary to rebuild Umno’s image and strengthen the party.
He said the scourge of money politics in the party could be checked if the party elections could be reduced by abolishing the wings, especially those recently established.
“I was thinking whether there was a need for Puteri Umno and Putera, as this means more money politics. Perhaps even having the Youth and Wanita wings should be weighed now. In England, there is no women’s wing in the Conservative Party nor the Labour Party.”
Speaking at the Disciplinary Board’s news conference here today, he added that Puteri and Putera members who were still young, should focus on their studies rather than on politics.
“They don’t need political exposure that early. Many of them are still in their teens and twenties,” said the Umno veteran, who believed that the young wings were involved in money politics but so far, none of the members had lodged complaints.
He said this group of people still needed to learn a lot of things as the country depended on its youths to lead the country in the future and to compete with the rest of the world.
“If they are preoccupied with politics, they won’t be able to focus on anything else,” he added.
Tengku Rithauddeen hoped that his suggestion would be considered and opined that the nomination quota system should also be abolished because of its ill effect of money politics. — Bernama
