“wrongs be put right” ???

Saturday April 12, 2008

Pak Lah vows to do utmost to ‘revive’ Umno and ensure wrongs be put right
By NELSON BENJAMIN and MEERA VIJAYAN

JOHOR BARU: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has pledged to do his utmost to “revive” Umno, saying this was among the many things he needed to do.

Admitting that he had to shoulder part of the blame for the party’s and Barisan Nasional’s poor performance in the general election, the Prime Minister said he wanted to ensure that “wrongs be put right”.

He cited judicial reform, the fight against corruption, reducing crime and improving race relations as among his other priorities.

“And it includes issues related to freedom of religion, things that I promised in my 2004 manifesto,” he told reporters after holding a closed-door meeting with Johor Umno leaders at a hotel here.

The Umno president and Barisan chairman added that he also wanted to improve the public delivery system, saying that this issue was already being addressed.

He said progress was also being made in overcoming the economic deficit and stimulating the economy.

“People are always in a hurry and they want things to be finished very quickly, but some things need a little more time,” he explained.

Abdullah said having a strong party would be pointless if the party did not make itself acceptable to the people.

“The party can be strong, but the rakyat can just throw it away if the party does not provide something the people can accept.

“The party also needs to be in the ruling government to be successful,” he said, adding that there were many mistakes made in the past that needed to be rectified.

The Prime Minister gave an assurance that Umno was already drawing up a framework to amend policies in order for it to be “acceptable.”

On calls by Penang and Kedah Umno leaders for him to quit, Abdullah said that he heard such rumblings and that he would not remain in power forever.

“However, what is important is that I have the mandate of the people and I still have the position as party president.

“I need to carry out my duties to overcome the problems faced by the party,” he said.