Bukit Lada UMNO grassroots members support assemblyman, Najib

Grassroots leaders representing 69 of the 86 UMNO branches in the Bukit Lada state constituency Thursday expressed support for assemblyman Datuk Ahmad Lebai Sudin and the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Hujung Bendang UMNO Branch head Datuk Mohd Ismail Othman, speaking for the leaders, said their support was based on the basic principle of party organisation and not merely on the basis of support.

"Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir should support the prime minister to avert speculation among the people to the extent of creating a misunderstanding between the state and federal governments," he told a news conference at the Bukit Lada service centre.

He said Kedah should emulate the example of the other states in expressing undivided support for the leadership of Najib as the UMNO president.

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Outside the service centre, more than 1,000 members of UMNO branches in the constituency gathered, carrying placards, expressing their support for Najib, Ahmad and UMNO.

Ahmad had recently called on Mukhriz, who is the Kedah UMNO Liaison Committee chairman, to resign if he failed to express support for Najib.

Mukhriz had said he would make a statement on the Kedah UMNO stand in relation to the leadership of the prime minister on April 24 after a meeting in Kuala Lumpur.