KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: Any leadership transition plan in Umno is merely convention, and the final say in choosing leaders rests with the delegates, vice-president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said.

Such a plan was not provided for in the party's constitution, he added.

"While leaders at the top can discuss and set a certain plan, it is the prerogative of delegates at the respective division meetings to choose whether to endorse the plan," he said.

The International Trade and Industry Minister said this after addressing the Malaysia-Japan Business Forum here yesterday.

The party constitution, he said, allowed for delegates to decide Umno top posts, including permanent chairman, president and deputy president. Umno's 192 divisions will hold their AGMs from Oct 9.

Muhyiddin, who is also Umno constitution committee chairman, cautioned that Barisan Nasional and Umno may not last past 2013 if reforms were not implemented quickly.

He said the current situation was very serious and of concern to anyone who cared about what was happening in the Government.

"We are concerned because if nothing happens, then I am not too sure if the lifespan of Barisan, and Umno in particular, can go beyond 2013," he said.

"The thinking of young Malaysians has changed tremendously. We need to make ourselves relevant, and this has to be done now as time is not on our side."

On the calls for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to step down by Oct 9, Muhyiddin said there was no need to exert pressure as the Umno president was well aware of what was happening.

On the possibility of him being removed from the Cabinet, Muhyiddin said he would leave it to Abdullah to decide, but added that he would not budge from his stand for a faster transition.

Earlier, Muhyiddin said that Malaysia was keen to learn hybrid technology from Japanese carmakers and was prepared to discuss customised incentives to encourage them to set up production bases here.