A Lawyer at every UMNO branch meeting?

EVERY UMNO BRANCH LEADER IS NOW A LAWYER?

I read with hilarious stirrings of bloggers who expect too much from branch meetings. The typical branch leader at least in Pekan is most likely a jaga sekolah, retired army personnel, loafers, local bullies, small time contractors, JKR labourers and so forth. We can’t seriously expect these kind of people to go through the UMNO constitution, can we? These people are certainly no Johnny Cochrane wannabes are they?

The blogger Dato Ron, a former MP for Parit Sulong in Johore urges branch leaders to fully understand the UMNO constitution. I am sad to inform Dato Ron that UMNO branch leaders nor the members hardly read the UMNO constitution. It’s sad but true, even the division rep sent to oversee the branch meeting has never read the UMNO constitution. They do carry around the rules and regulations of branch meetings (Tatacara Dan Peraturan Mesyuarat) - the do’s and don’ts of meeting. That is a poor substitute to infer awareness of the UMNO constitution.

I myself have never read it and have never seen one in the Pekan UMNO division. I doubt very much, whether the division secretary with an academic level of an SPM dropout is aware of this important document. Dato Ron himself may have read it during his retirement phase of active politics.( sorry Ron, I stand corrected).

Therefore to urge branch leaders to leverage the provisions of the UMNO constitution places too high a hope on these wretched fellows. Most of the branch leaders are just looking at ways to extend their tenure as leaders. We can’t expect much either from UMNO divisions. Divisions will most likely follow the dictates of their respective division heads.

In Pekan for example, I would like to see if Dato Najib in the name of democratic tradition is sufficiently resolute to allow nominations by secret ballot. He won’t, I can guarantee it. Not until hell freezes over. Most likely, during the divisional meeting just preceding the mesyuarat perwakilan bahagian, he will instruct the bahagian to nominate whomsoever are involved in the transition plan. No rewards for guessing who, folks.

The clause relied upon by Dato Ron is item 17.5.1 of the UMNO Constitution. It states that one of the responsibilities of the branch meetings is to discuss the policies of the party for submission to the mesyuarat perwakilan bahagian. That my friend is a very tall order.