UMNO will hold a special assembly to amend its constitution to give its Sabah chapter autonomy, said acting party president Mohamad Hasan.

This will allow the state chapter to make its own decisions and quickly, too, he said. 

He said autonomy would also make it easier for Sabah Umno to recruit and admit new members. 

“The current arrangement makes it difficult for people to sign up. We will make it easier and allow people to sign up online,” he said, after chairing a Supreme Council meeting in the capital today.

“We want to give the state chapter autonomy so it can act with confidence;  it will augur well for the future.”

He said the special meeting will be held a day after Umno’s annual general assembly on November 13.

Mohamad said the party will not field a candidate in the Sandakan by-election on May 11.

He said the party had never contested for the seat and would leave it to coalition partner to do it.

The Barisan Nasional supreme council meets tonight. – April 22, 2019.