The Umno General Assembly 2017 next month will focus on preparations for the 14th General Election and not discuss party elections, said party vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein.

He said it would be futile for the delegates to debate the party elections and the party eventually fails to secure a huge mandate from the people in the general election.

The Umno General Assembly is set for Dec 5 to 9.

“For the upcoming general assembly, I have requested that resolutions related to party elections not be debated because our focus is on the general election,” he said to reporters after chairing a meeting of the Resolutions Committee of the Umno Supreme Council here today.

Hishammuddin, who is the chairperson of the committee, said the general assembly, which was the last before the next general election, would radiate a feel-good factor and winning mentality among the delegates in accordance with the preparations for GE14.

Asked about the ‘feel good factor’ that he meant, Hishammuddin said the tabling of Budget 2018 by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak in October was an example because the contents were the outcome of Umno’s struggle over all these years.

On the resolutions for the general assembly, he said 826 were received from 191 party divisions, with the majority of 635 being for reference, 191 having been accepted without debate and none rejected.

“A total of 238 resolutions were on politics, 79 on the economy, 40 on religion, 97 on social matters, 114 on education, one on an amendment to the constitution and 66 on other matters,” he said.

He said all the resolutions were submitted by party members at the grassroots and this reflected Umno as an inclusive and democratic party.

Hishammuddin said the Resolutions Committee would organise the Ummah Agenda Empowerment Convention 3.0 on Nov 19 at the Putra World Trade Centre, which would be attended by various stakeholders such as politicians, academics, economists, and undergraduates.

The convention would discuss topics related to the empowerment of the Ummah and Umno, and the outcome would be used as a guide by those who would debate the resolutions at the general assembly.

- Bernama