Membership rules for Puteri, Wanita should be streamlined - Mas Ermieyati

Puteri UMNO chief Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin has proposed for the membership rules of the Puteri and Wanita wings to be streamlined in order to strengthen and increase the membership of UMNO's

youngest wing.

She said this was to enable women aged between 18 and 35 to join the Puteri wing automatically.

Now, she said, members had a choice to join the Wanita wing which had no age restrictions.

"It is better for those aged 18 to 35 to come in to (Puteri) automatically.

That is why we are requesting the leadership to look at how important this (issue) is. It is not about fighting (for membership) but to strengthen (the rules).

"The issue is Puteri's membership is enshrined in the rules (for those aged 18 to 35 only) as if we want to have exclusive membership for Puteri, we need to amend (the membership rules) for the Wanita wing as well," she told a press conference after the opening of the Young Women's Festival organised by Puteri

UMNO at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) here, on Saturday.

The festival was opened by Prime Minister and UMNO president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. Also present were his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Rohani Abdul Karim and Wanita UMNO chief Tan Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.

Mas Ermieyati, who is also Masjid Tanah MP, said the matter should be discussed at the UMNO Supreme Council meeting to ensure that hopes of UMNO's youngest wing did not pose any issues, especially to Wanita UMNO.

Previously, Mas Ermieyati was quoted as saying that Puteri UMNO would resolve the membership issue to enable women aged between 18 and 35 to join the wing automatically.

Meantime, Mas Emieryati said Puteri UMNO had long been making efforts to convince the younger generation of UMNO's struggle, besides preparing women to face future challenges.

The prime minister during his opening speech had called on Puteri UMNO to capture the hearts of the younger generation and convince them that the party was the best for them and the country.