umno puteri

Seven names sent in for head of Puteri Umno

By B. Suresh Ram
newsdesk@thesundaily.com

KUALA LUMPUR, Wed: The Umno leadership is scrutinising seven candidates whose names have been submitted to head Puteri Umno, its deputy president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said today.

Declining to reveal the names, he said the seven candidates are from Wanita Umno and the names were submitted by state liaison committees.

Abdullah said the party headquarters will continue to accept more names and the names of those shortlisted will be submitted to party president Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

"The president will pick the candidate from the list we will submit," he told reporters after chairing an Umno management committee meeting here.

On the on-going branch elections, he said the party headquarters has not received any information of any meeting being disrupted thus far.

"Everything is proceeding smoothly, with the exception of some minor complaints and this includes party members not being allowed to attend meetings despite having paid their party fees.

"We should not deny the right of party members to attend branch meetings if they have paid their membership fees," he said.

Abdullah said the management committee meeting also allowed branch meetings to continue in Sabah even if the attendance is less than 50 members.

He said the party has taken into account the fact that many of them are staying far as well as many of the branches do not have many members.

Abdullah also said that with immediate effect all disciplinary cases relating to complaints raised during the branch elections will be heard by the disciplinary board.

He said all cases which have not been resolved or even those received today will be scrutinised by the board.

No Wanita Umno members keen to lead Puteri: Rafidah

By Hazatul Syima
hazatul@thesundaily.com

KUALA LUMPUR, Thurs: Wanita Umno will not be submitting any names to head Putri Umno as none of its members below the eligible age of 40 years are interested. Wanita chief Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz said the movement had submitted names for the new wing's pro-tem committee as requested by the party headquarters.

"For the post of Putri Umno chief, we have tried getting names from our members but they are not willing as they are happy in our movement," she said after chairing the Wanita Umno executive committee meeting today. Rafidah said the movement will not restrict its members from crossing over to Putri Umno but to date none of them are willing.

"From the feedback we received, our members chose to stay on," she said, adding there should not be any effort to "pull them" out of the Wanita wing. She also said Wanita Umno in Selangor, Terengganu, Malacca and Penang had submitted names for the Putri Umno state pro-tem committees.

The names submitted comprise of young female professionals below 35, the age limit for Putri Umno members. Rafidah then said members of Puteri Umno should not consist of those already in Umno or Wanita Umno. "If members of Wanita Umno are recruited into Putri, then the movement will have less members and there won't be an increase of members for the party," she said.

However, the International Trade and Industry Minister said the movement is not against Wanita Umno members being appointed into the pro-tem committee. "If the member is willing, then we will let her go to the new wing to provide leadership but in recruiting members for Putri Umno, please find new people," she said. Rafidah also said the Wanita Umno Complaints Bureau has solved 74 out of the 133 cases it has received so far since its launch on June 16 last year.

Monday, April 2, 2001
Azalina takes Puteri Umno job in her stride

Being the first head or Puteri Umno is no daunting for Azalina Othman. As she tells Mergawati Zulkafar and Sa'odah Elias, her main concern is to scout for potential young women leaders and get things going.
WHEN Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad announced her appointment as chief of Puteri Umno during the supreme council meeting on Saturday, Azalina Othman was missing from the room.

She was in the ladies.

Returning to the meeting, she was puzzled as to why the members were giving her "the look''.

Azalina . . . `I have said many times that I want to go out there and find potential young Malay women to lead'.

Perlis Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim then whispered and broke the news to her.

At her office the next day at the Umno Civil Action Bureau in Kelana Jaya, Azalina was busy going through one interview after another.

She is, after all, the belle du jour despite having been regularly featured in the media over the past year since being appointed a supreme council member and head of the bureau.

Was she surprised over her appointment in Puteri Umno?

"I would say it was (a surprise) because to the very end no one knew. According to the procedure, the supreme council has to vote on it.

"Shahidan congratulated me and told me that three names were mentioned and they chose me.

"I have said many times that I want to go out there and find potential young Malay women to lead.

"I want to train you (prospective leaders) and send you out because life is short. There are bigger things that Umno has to deal with.

"There are more than one million young Malay women between 18 and 35 years old out there for me to train and choose from. Surely they have potential.

"Some are mothers and wives who, at the same time, hold senior managerial posts. Some are successful businesswomen.

"Surely many of them are capable of running an organisation. They may not bother now because no one bothered to look and invite them to lead,'' she said.

A senior politician once told Azalina that she might be buried in her own idealism.

"I am being positive and many people think I am crazy. But I don't mind.

"I believe that at the end of the day, I had tried--rather than peluk tubuh (be an armchair critic) like a lot of people who complain that this or that is not right; complain about women's issues and expect the authorities to do things.''

Insisting that Puteri Umno should not be seen as a threat to Wanita Umno, she said:

"I am not in competition. I am just complementing the existing leaders.''

To Wanita Umno's advice that Puteri Umno should not take its members, she said:

"I am sure what they meant is 'don't actively try to take away our members but if you choose to do so, it is okay'.''

She said a concerted effort would be needed to come out with programmes which can attract young women.

She said ordinary members can perform as well without holding posts.

"That is my message. My approach will be very 'NGO-ish.' I believe young women of today are mostly mothers. Puteri is for the future generation. It is for their daughters.

"They can be assured that they can continue to live in a liberal country.

"I look at 2004 and think about how Malay politics is developing; at PAS with its religious extremism and discriminatory policies against women; and at Keadilan which only uses a one-man issue.

"I don't see any other choice for women, but Umno.''

Asked if she would need to change her style and image to accommodate expectations in Umno, Azalina replied: "No way.''

"If they don't like me, I don't get elected, so what! It is not important because I have done what I wanted to do.

"I am an activist and has been one for the past 10 years.

"To get married with three kids, just so I can appear to be the perfect image of a woman leader--I will not change from what I am today because I know Umno is a liberal party.''

Azalina said she would not actually be leading Puteri Umno but merely be its custodian for one year.

"I want to tell potential leaders that if you want change, you cannot institute change without participating in the process of change.

"That is what I want to do for one year. After that, it us up to them (supreme council) to decide. If you choose someone else, I will be more than happy.''

Azalina said she had the support of some state liaison chairmen as well as Youth and Wanita Umno leaders.

"It is not like Puteri is going to survive alone. Umno members, regardless of what people say, will always be together.''

On the criteria to be Umno leaders, Azalina said that apart from being Malays, they have to be nationalistic.

"Other qualities can be trained. As nationalists they must be able to understand the people, their followers and what is needed to make the Puteri voice heard.

"They must be creative with programmes because Puteri comes into existence in an era of globalisation and k-economy.

"We are talking about a different breed of young Malay women--independent, secure but at the same time still preserving traditional values.''

Azalina hoped to make Puteri a success through activities in the areas of services, education and health.

"I am talking about women as the catalyst of change. Women as the agent to national unity.

"Even in Barisan Nasional--take Wanita MCA for instance--their young members are well groomed. I really envy them. Maybe that is my job, basically working as a talent scout.''

Azalina said she would get the names of her pro tem committee members from the party headquarters and call for a meeting with them soon.

"Right now I don't even know who they are.

"It is important to meet them as soon as possible so that we can work on things,'' she added.

Asked if she felt intimidated by the responsibility (of being Umno Puteri chief) she said: "The only thing I fear is God and my father.

"The point is, why should I feel intimidated when I know that I am doing something right, something that I sincerely believe in?'' she asked.

Tuesday, April 10, 2001
New Erra for Umno

By Izatun Shari
KUALA LUMPUR: Singer-actress Erra Fazira has joined a group of lawyers, businesswoman, managers and teachers in the Puteri Umno pro tem committee lineup.

The former Miss Malaysia said the appointment would spur her to be more active in politics.

"This is a great opportunity for me as an artiste to play a bigger part in the society.

"It is part of my responsibility in efforts to unite the Malays and ensure greater progress of the race,'' she told reporters after the inaugural pro tem committee meeting yesterday.

Penang-born Erra, whose real name is Fazira Wan Chik, 27, has starred in several films, including Sembilu I and Sembilu II.

Erra said she joined Puteri Umno on her own will, but admitted she was persuaded to do so on short notice by pro tem chief Azalina Othman Said, a supreme council member.

"I think it is a noble idea. That was why I wish to support her and get the younger generation to help the older generation of Umno leaders to ensure that the party will remain relevant.''

She said given enough guidance, she might be able to play an effective role and contribute towards the movement.

Azalina, a lawyer, said Puteri Umno wanted to engage as many young people as possible from all walks of life to join the movement.

She also announced the appointment of four of central pro tem committee members, 11 pro tem chairmen for the state level, an information head, an assistant secretary and an assistant treasurer.

Businesswoman Mastina Abdul Hamid, 30, was named information head and manager Noraini Ahmad, 34, as assistant secretary.

The pro tem state chiefs are Bibi Shazliza Mohd Talib (Negri Sembilan), Norasmah Mohd Nawawi (Perak), Rosfinah Rahmat (Malacca), Hazlina Jalil (Johor), Azlina Mehtab Mohd Ishaq (Penang), Nordiana Shafie (Terengganu), Nora Azmin Mohd Radzuan (Selangor), Azlinda Mohd Rashad (Federal Territory) and Marzita Mansor (Perlis). Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin (Sabah) and Norlina Datuk Ahmad (Kelantan) were not present at the meeting.

Nationwide recruitment
By Hizreen Kamal hizreen@nstp.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR, Mon. - Puteri Umno pro tem leader Azalina Mohd Said said a nationwide recruitment drive targeting some 1.5 million Malay women will be launched soon.

She said the national-level campaign would be held soon, after which the pro tem committee members would visit every State to recruit members.

"We will try to reach young women in the rural and urban areas," Azalina said after chairing the first Puteri Umno pro tem committee meeting at the Umno headquarters.

Umno secretary-general Tan Sri Khalil Yaakob was also present.

The setting up of Puteri Umno was announced by party president Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad on July 10 last year.

The Umno supreme council had recently appointed Azalina, 37, as Puteri Umno pro tem head.

Azalina also announced the appointments of pro tem central committee members.

They are Fazira Wan Chik or Erra Fazira, Noor Liza Abu Hasan, Hamizah Mat Tahir and Sharifah Syahirah Syed Sheikh.

Eleven State Puteri Umno pro tem chiefs were also named. Only the Pahang and Kedah chiefs have yet to be appointed.

The 11 are Bibi Shazliza Mohamad Talib (Negri Sembilan), Norasmah Mohamad Nawawi (Perak), Rosfinah Rahmat (Malacca), Hazlina Jalil (Johor), Azlina Mehtab Mohamad Ishaq (Penang), Nordiana Shafie (Terengganu), Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin (Sabah), Nora Azmin Mohamad Radzuan (Selangor) Azlinda Mohamad Rashad (Federal Territory), Norlina Ahmad (Kelantan) and Marzita Mansor (Perlis).

Also named were assistant secretary Noraini Ahmad, assistant treasurer Raja Emylia Raja Lope Ahmad and information chief Mastina Abdul Hamid.

Azalina said since the movement's executive committee members were in Umno, they would have to, among others, undergo induction and spiritual upliftment courses on the party ideals and general elections.

Asked about public response to Puteri Umno, she said many were keen to join but did not know how to go about it.

Azalina said they would be making courtesy calls on Dr Mahathir, deputy president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, as well as the Youth and Wanita wings' chiefs, Datuk Hishammuddin Hussein and Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz.