Global Courant
KUALA LUMPUR – Two days of roars and exhortations from leaders to commit to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s unity government gave way to a more introspective tone as Umno’s annual meeting drew to a close on Saturday, with delegates voicing their views. gave about how the fortunes of a once powerful party.
After licking the wounds of November’s general election, there were calls from Umno’s rank and file and veterans to reconcile with sidelined figures and consolidate their strength ahead of the polls scheduled for August to top governments. in six of Malaysia’s 13 states.
A recurring theme of deputies debating President Zahid Hamidi’s policy speech was to bolster the party ahead of the polls to avoid a repeat of its worst-ever general election performance, winning just 26 of 222 parliamentary divisions last year.
“We can no longer afford to be divided, we can’t afford to have camps, so we need to stop sneaking up on each other. If there are ideas and positions for the good of the party or criticism for the party, use the existing internal channels to discuss and improve our weaknesses,” deputy president Mohamad Hasan said in the margins of the congress on Saturday.
Kurniawan Naim Moktar, treasurer of the youth wing, called on the supreme council – the party’s highest decision-making body – to reinstate “all our dismissed or suspended leaders who have yet to join other parties and continue to love our party”.
This came following former councilor Tajuddin Rahman’s plea on Friday to party leader Zahid to lift his six-year suspension and allow him to campaign in the upcoming state elections.
The former secretary of state said he had appealed three times but received no response from the party.
“I know PAS’s weaknesses, I know Bersatu’s weaknesses, I know all PN’s weaknesses,” said the 75-year-old. Parti Islam SeMalaysia and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, the main components of the Perikatan Nasional opposition pact, are Umno’s main rivals for the majority of Malaysian Muslims.
“I want to participate in the state elections. How can I fight without a keris? Give me the keris,” he added, referring to the traditional Malaysian dagger that is Umno’s symbol.
Datuk Seri Tajuddin was among a group of leaders critical of Datuk Seri Zahid and sanctioned ahead of the general election. Another purge in January saw former youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin sacked, while others such as former Umno vice president Hishammuddin Hussein, who has spent most of the past 25 years in cabinet, were suspended.
Youth chief Akmal Saleh supported the call to bring exiled figures back into the fold, pointing out how even Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, Malaysia and Umno’s longest-serving leader, left and returned to the party.
“It seems that KJ still has hope in Umno,” Dr. Akmal told a press conference on Saturday, referring to former Health Minister Khairy’s praise for his stance on the party’s need to resolve internal issues.
“Umno is at its lowest point. It is time for everyone who loves Umno to sit at the same table as it needs the help and ideas of all parties,” added the Melaka state cabinet member.
