All 52 Umno Supreme Council members are holed up in a hotel in Shah Alam to plot the future of the party following its poor performance in the March 8 general election.

The two-day retreat beginning today will see the top leaders charting the party's future and formulate strategies to regain the people's support towards Umno.

According to Bernama, the Supreme Council members will also be discussing Umno's performance in the general election.

The retreat started this morning with an address by the party president and Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

His deputy Najib Abdul Razak and Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Mansor also delivered their respective address to the participants.

Bernama also reported that discussions would be conducted in three groups, each chaired by Umno vice-presidents Mohd Ali Rustam and Muhyiddin Yassin, and Umno information chief Muhammad Muhd Taib.

Participants would be asked to put forward proposals on the consolidation strategies for implementation by the party.

The group discussions are slated to continue until tomorrow with Najib making the final conclusion.

Abdullah being challenged

Abdullah is expected to officiate the closing ceremony before the Friday prayers.

In the recent general election, Umno-led Barisan Nasional suffered heavy defeats in the hands of Pakatan Rakyat. The party lost control in its traditional seats of power in Selangor, Perak and Kedah.

The opposition also took over Penang and retained Kelantan and at the same time denied BN the two-thirds majority in Parliament.

In the aftermath, Abdullah had come under heavy fire from party members and faced calls to step down for failing to win handsomely in the polls.

He is also expected to face a challenge for the top post from former vice president Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah in the December party elections.