The Selangor Umno liaison committee said today it has never forced party branches in the state to sign any declaration , including expressing support for the leadership of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

Its deputy president, Mat Nadzari Ahmad Dahlan, said Selangor Umno practised an open democratic system and would ensure that it remained in practice.

"Selangor Umno has never forced any branch to make any declaration of support," he told reporters after attending the opening of the fourth session of the Selangor state assembly by the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, in Shah Alam.

Mat Nadzari, who is the Selangor BN coordinator, was asked to comment on a portal report quoting Teratai Umno branch chief Hashim Abdul Karim as saying that the Umno grassroots leaders had been instructed to sign a declaration supporting Najib's leadership.

Hashim was reported to have said this in a speech at an event also attended by Umno vice-president Mohd Shafie Apdal in Kampung Bukit Lanchong, Laman Bistari, in Shah Alam last night.

On another matter, Mat Nadzari, who is the assemblyperson for Batang Kali, said he would raise several important issues in the state assembly, including the need to boost the role of the Selangor

He said SSIC should adopt a proactive approach in attracting investment to the state and not depend solely on the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida).

- Bernama