Panel to keep an eye on errant Umno men

KUALA LUMPUR: The Umno disciplinary committee will monitor its members' activities from now on to ensure that they do not betray the party at the next general election.

Party president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said Umno would act against irresponsible members immediately, unlike in the past when errant members were dealt with after the elections were over.

"The committee will monitor those whose activities are detrimental to the party and will act accordingly.

"We do not want action by these members to cost the party come election time," he said after chairing the first Umno supreme council meeting for the year.

Najib said the management committee headed by Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin would look into the matter.

He reasoned that Umno needed to be proactive and act immediately rather than wait till "the damage has been done".

"During election, parties are bound to face unhappiness and dissatisfaction among those who are not selected as candidates. Even action by the (candidates') supporters can be damaging to the party, so we need to act accordingly," he said.

Najib said the meeting also discussed the state of preparedness of the Umno election machinery, adding that while the party was satisfied, more could be done to ensure its effectiveness.

On Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M), he said the programme received overwhelming response and that adequate time should be given so that the deserving ones could benefit from it, adding that the process to determine eligibility for the scheme needed to be clear and there should be room for appeals for those whose applications had been rejected.