KUALA LUMPUR: The UMNO Supreme Council special meeting tomorrow will decide on the action to be taken against Bukit Bendera division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail, said Prime Minister and UMNO president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Abdullah said this decision was made after all the BN component parties agreed that the issue be resolved by UMNO.

"They want stern, immediate action be taken, but they understand that the matter involves an UMNO member and the party's procedure requires it to be brought up to the (UMNO) Supreme Council.

"The BN component party leaders have acknowledged this procedure and urged the UMNO Supreme Council to take action soonest possible," he said after chairing a two-hour BN Supreme Council meeting at Menara Dato' Onn here today.

Ahmad has created uproar for allegedly making a racist comment at a ceramah during the Permatang Pauh by-election campaign on Aug 23, that the Chinese were penumpang (squatters) in the country and therefore not entitled to enjoy equal rights with the bumiputras.

The statement has caused anger among Gerakan and MCA leaders who demanded that Ahmad openly apologise.