Thesun 2009-10-12 Page01 Najib Egm Decisions Ultimate

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Monday October 12, 2009

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Isa wins big PORT DICKSON: Barisan Nasional (BN) retained the Bagan Pinang state seat last night with a thumping majority of 5,435 votes. BN candidate Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad obtained 8,013 votes against 2,578 won by his PAS rival, Zulkefly Mohammad Omar. There were 223 spoilt votes, and 356 were not returned. It was BN’s first victory in seven by-elections in Peninsular Malaysia since the March 2008 general election. The win will see Isa, 59, the former Negri Sembilan mentri besar, make a comeback into active politics after being stripped of his Umno vicepresidency for money politics in 2005. The official result was an-

nounced by returning officer Abdul Wahab Shamssudin at the Port Dickson Municipal Council hall at 8pm. A total of 11,170 out of the 13,664 registered voters – or 81.75% – cast their ballots. In the last general election, BN’s Azman Mohd Nor, who died on Sept 4, won the seat against PAS’s Ramli Ismail with a 2,333vote majority. Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who was present when the results was announced, described the victory as significant and a positive sign for BN. “It’s good to win after a series of defeats in previous by-elections,” he told reporters. “We are glad the people of

y-election Bagan Pinang b

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BN Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad

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8,013

Majority: 5,435 Turnout: 81% Spoilt: 223

by Charles Ramendran [email protected]

K

UALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak says decisions taken at an extraordinary general meeting (EGM), the highest authority of any political structure, should be adhered to. In Saturday’s MCA EGM, central delegates adopted a motion declaring no confidence in party president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat by 14 votes. They also rejected by 74 votes a motion to restore Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek as deputy president. However, the delegates adopted a resolution to annul the party’s decision to expel and subsequently suspend Chua’s membership. Referring to the much-hyped EGM which was convened to resolve the feud between the MCA’s two top leaders, Najib said an outcome of an EGM should also form the basis of a solution to overcome any crisis afflicting a party. “I hope the MCA will make a decision soon to regain the confidence of its members and the public. As Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman, I want to see stability in MCA,” he stressed. “MCA must ensure its leadership is credible, ensure the support of the

PAS Zulkefly Mohamad Omar

2,578

Najib: EGM decisions ultimate Voters: 13,664 Malay 62.77% Chinese 10.96%

6 Not returned: 35 Indian 20.74% others 5.54%)

2008

the seat Nor (BN) won Azman Mohd majority with 2,333-vote

Chinese and resolve its current crisis. It must also take measures to avoid recurrence of such a crisis. “I believe MCA leaders know what it takes to restore confidence in the party. Decisions must be based on wisdom and with BN as their priority, we believe they will make a wise decision,” said Najib, stressing that Umno does not want to

appear to meddle in MCA’s affairs. Meanwhile, Ong said in his blog yesterday that said he would act in the best interest of the party, adding that he takes full responsibility for the outcome of the EGM. Ong, who is on leave until Thursday when the party Central Committee meets to deliberate the implications

of the delegates’ harsh verdicts, had reportedly told the CC on Saturday that he will resign. He had also gone on record last month to say that even if the no-confidence resolution in his leadership is carried by a simple majority, he would have to bow out. “Anyone who argues that I do not need to do so, that only a

two-thirds majority is required to boot me out, I think that is a great lie,” he had said in an interview. Najib spoke in a press conference after launching a book entitled Helming the Times, a compilation of his selected speeches, in the MidValley Megamall.

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