By Carolyn Hong

KUALA LUMPUR: Some senior Umno leaders yesterday played down the split in the top ranks of the party over the pressure for Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi to take early retirement.

Umno information chief Muhammad Muhammad Taib said the pressure came from only one or two individuals within the Umno supreme council.

'The supreme council has never pushed him (to resign),' he was quoted as saying by The Star yesterday.

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