Malaysian PM urges ruling party to gear up for polls

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak Thursday urged his ruling United Malays National Organization (UMNO) to be ready for the upcoming general elections which he said would be critical for his country.

Speaking at UMNO's annual general assembly, the last one before the general elections due mid-2018, Najib urged UNMO members to be united to fight in the upcoming poll.

Najib warned against the risk of country falling into the wrong and irresponsible hands.

"In our hand is the choice that would decide the fate of this nation," he said.

Najib, as the president of UMNO and the head of the ruling coalition, listed the government's achievements since he became prime minister in 2009.

UMNO has led a multi-party coalition to govern Malaysia since its independence in 1957. However, the opposition has steadily gained ground in the past two general elections, depriving the ruling coalition of its long-held two-third majority in the parliament.

Mahathir Mohamad, Malaysia's longest serving prime minister and Najib's former mentor, has quitted UMNO to join the opposition in a bid to unseat the incumbent government. Enditem