Last Updated: 6:06pm, Dec 05, 2013

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 5): Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak's declaration that Wanita Umno is the backbone of the party is timely, says the party's number two leader.

Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said said the acknowledgement that everyone was relying on the women's wing all these years was how Umno honoured Wanita's struggles all this while.

Muhyiddin said the merging of Wanita and Puteri would see a "tremendous" number , which was more than half the party.

"During each general election, they have played an important role by going down to the ground and engaging with the public. Conducting behaviour pattern surveys and many other important jobs were managed by the Wanita wing," he said.

The Umno deputy president was commenting on Najib's keynote address today in which he praised the contribution of the women's wing, whose spirit was highly appreciated and held in high esteem.

Najib said he decided on declaring them the backbone of the party after listening to calls made by the Wanita leadership.

Wanita Chief Datuk Seri Sharizat Abdul Jalil meanwhile thanked Najib for his "bravery and vision" to acknowledge her wing as a backbone instead of just as one of the three wings in Umno.

This especially since the wing has been fighting for Umno over the past 66 years.

"Today is a historical day not just for Wanita Umno but for women in Malaysia as our struggle was initially one for women," she told reporters, adding that the wing now needs to dedicate itself to winning the 14th general election.

The special advisor on women's affairs said Wanita Umno will set up a task force to fine tune whatever that needs to be done as the backbone of the party.

"For Wanita, we are not scared of responsibilities," she said.

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