NAJIB DECLARED NEW UMNO PRESIDENT

KUALA LUMPUR, March 26 (Bernama) -- Najib Razak was Thursday declared as the
new United Malays National Organisation (Umno) president.

Umno permanent chairman Onn Ismail made the declaration at the outset of the
Umno General Assembly at the Dewan Merdeka (Independence Hall), Putra World
Trade Centre (PWTC) here.

Najib, 55, won the Umno presidency unopposed.

Outgoing Umno president Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, 69, in his last policy speech
as party president, called on the members to give their solid support to enable
Najib to take Malaysia to greater heights.

The prime minister, who pledged to give his undivided support to Najib as
the new Umno president and prime minister, said he is handing over the national
responsibility to Najib whom he described as "a younger leader who has the
maturity and experience to navigate the nation to greater heights."

Abdullah has held the post since October 2004. Umno is the dominant party in
Malaysia's ruling National Front, and has been in power since independence in
1957.
-- BERNAMA