KUALA LUMPUR, 27 March 2009: Wanita Umno will draw up an action plan to achieve the target of 30 per cent representation from the movement in the Umno supreme council (Majlis Tertinggi or MT).
Wanita Umno head Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said based on the results of the election for the MT seats yesterday, Wanita needed transformation by changing its strategy to secure at least 30% representation in the party’s policy-making body.
“Actually the Wanita exco members and I feel disappointed that only one of our candidates won a seat in the MT,” she told reporters when met at the Umno general assembly at the Putra World Trade Centre, here today.
Yesterday, only one Wanita Umno candidate, Datuk Dr Norraesah Mohamad won in the election for the 25 seats in the MT.
Under the plan, Shahrizat would suggest that the men were also brought along to appreciate the cause of Wanita Umno.
“We don’t want merely lip service because the results (yesterday) showed that Wanita Umno has yet to be given appropriate recognition,” she said.
Shahrizat, however, was confident that the new party president, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, would be together with Wanita Umno in appreciating the movement’s dream to bring the Wanita leadership in the mainstream at the decision-making stage.
“I believe this will open a new chapter or a new era in Wanita Umno. If we look at the rest of the world today, there is transformation where the women’s involvement is more significant,” she said.
She said the outcome of the election for the MT seats yesterday also showed that more candidates from Sabah were winning.
“If we have leadership qualities, there will be a place for us regardless of where we come from because the Umno delegates have their ears on the ground and I think it is a beautiful decision,” she said. — Bernama
