Najib: Winners don't be arrogant, losers keep fighting

“Those who win in the UMNO elections, don’t be overly excited and arrogant and those who lose, do not end the fight here.”

These were the words of wisdom by UMNO President Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to the UMNO Vice President and Supreme Council nominees today.

Bernama reported that Najib reminded the winners to realise the great responsibility they shoulder in championing the people and religion.

“They should remain humble and "extend the hand of friendship" to the losers because the UMNO struggle demanded a united leadership capable of facing the challenges ahead.

"For the losers, it is not the end of the road. It is a process in the struggle. They should carry on with the struggle and contribute to the party," he was quoted as saying.

Earlier, Najib Razak attended the delegates meeting of the Pekan UMNO Division, which he heads, at the Sultan Ahmad Shah Convention Hall around 9.30am.

He was welcomed by about 1,000 delegates.

He inspected a guard-of-honour mounted by about 100 divisional members from the Wanita UMNO, Umno Youth and Puteri UMNO wings and raised the UMNO flag.

Najib then entered the hall for the delegates' meeting and will vote at about noon along with the estimated 900 delegates eligible to participate in the elections.

The 191 Umno divisions throughout the country, except in Sarawak, are holding their delegates meetings and elections to pick the leaders of their respective divisions as well as the party's supreme council.

Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi agreed with Najib that those who lose should not sulk.

“Selfish attitude should be left behind if you want to continue to be UMNO members’ choice at the grass root level,” he said after launching the Kepala Batas UMNO Division delegates conference.

The conference was successfully held and the election was held in Kepala Batas Industrial Training Institute around 10.30am.

An estimated 146,000 grassroots members are eligible to vote in this elections compared to only 2,500 delegates in previous elections.