Umno AGM in November, but GE still possible this year

The Umno general assembly will take place from Nov 27 to Dec 1, but can be postponed if the general election is called.

“If the election is called, we can just postpone the AGM. We might have it or we might not have it,” Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak said today.

Najib, who is also Umno president, must call for general polls by April.

Holding his cards close to his chest, he said it is up to the people to speculate when the polls will be held, given the announcement today.

"I like them to speculate," he quipped.

The party had previously postponed its internal elections until after the general election.

The party president's address and opening ceremony will be on Nov 27.

The women's, Youth and Puteri wings will hold their assemblies on Nov 28.

The main assembly will be held from Nov 29 to Dec 1.

'I did not write letter'

Meanwhile, the PM denied that he had issued a letter to Universiti Islam Antarabangsa (UIA) rector Zaleha Kamaruddin (left) on the appointment of Mirzan Hitam.

"The appointment of Associate Professor Mirzan Hitam will bring victory and glory to pro-Aspirasi to raise the position of the race and country in accordance to the Umno constitution," he read out from the letter.

The letter, showed to the press, bore the Umno logo as its letterhead.

Pro-Aspirasi is a largely pro-establishment coalition in campus politics, who are vying for success in ongoing campus polls.

"I have never issued any letter on any university appointment and this can be verified by the universities and Higher Education Ministry.

"This means that certain people are so desperate that they are willing to do anything including spread falsehoods to incite student hatred and anger towards the government," he said.

Students last weekend marched in downtown Kuala Lumpur to demand clean and fair campus polls.