Exorcism Begins!

He needs to touch base. He needs to exorcise the ghost of PRU 12.

Now the exorcism begins. It started with Penangites last weekend. Not Penangites as in the people of the state but the Penang UMNO branch and divisional leaders. It will be a weekly affair in the run up to the UMNO branch and divisional posts contest this coming July and August and the biggest event of the year in December 2008.

It's going to be a weekend affairs I was made to understand. A weekend each for all respective state UMNO's branch and divisional leaders. There will be between 500-1000 branches/divisional leaders to attend this exorcism exercise every weekend. That's a lot of people to attend to every weekend.

Paklah or his circle of advisors must be thinking instead of him going to them, its better they come to him. Look what happened when I sent envoys previously to meet UMNO people in Kedah and Penang. Havoc! No more of that. Let them come to me.

Now back to the weekend event. Must have costs UMNO quite a fortune in holding this event every other weekend. Travelling, Food etc. Could have use the money for better purposes I think. But then again, it's UMNO money, not mine. It's their rights to see fit on how to spend it. "Ramah Mesra Bersama Paklah" must be one of those. After all it could all be worth while come this December.

The Malaysian insider has the scoop;

The Malaysian Insider has put together what transpired during the three-hour session. This was what happened:

On Abdullah as the party president and the succession plan

the general view was that he should continue to lead the party and if wants to contest the number one position at the party polls in December, Penang Umno will support him. But grassroots leaders wanted to hear it from Abdullah personally whether he was keen to lead the party.

They were puzzled with the constant talk about the transfer of power and succession plan. Abdullah settled the confusion by stating that he would defend his president’s position in December.

On conflicting statements by some Umno ministers.

No names were mentioned by party members who wondered why a few Umno ministers appeared either not supportive of policies put forward by the Abdullah administration or more interested in undermining him in party circles.

Should they still be retained as Cabinet ministers? Shouldn’t there be a Cabinet reshuffle? Abdullah side-stepped this question and suggested that now was not the time to tinker with the Cabinet.

On his leadership style

Party members said that Abdullah is too soft and that’s why some of his decisions are often not implemented. They urged him to add some steel to his leadership style.

In short, they want him to show authority and make sure that his policies and plans are carried through. Read more here

Reading from all that, it is clear, he needs to be re-elected as UMNO President comes December. Yes, Paklah made it clear; he wants to be President of UMNO still. So, will all this be enough? Will all this weekend affairs suffice when there are other exorcism exercises been carried out by others such as this one here and here, to exorcise instead the ghost they call "Abdullah Ahmad Badawi"?

In time we shall know.