ʼUMNO FOR ALLʼ
DATUK Seri Najib Razak, addressing 140,000 enthusiastic Umno members and BN allies in a historic gathering, says the partyʼs struggle for all races since independence is the reason for its durability. The prime minister and Umno president also takes a swi
UMNO’S strength lies in four main thrusts, including staying true to its struggle for the people.
Its president, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, said the thrusts — the others being the party’s struggle for all races and religion, the clear vision it had set and realised, and its ability to remain relevant — had also been the basis for its survival since 1946.
Umno, he said, also remained the strongest party in the democratic world, thanks to its members’ loyalty and their readiness to make sacrifices.
He was speaking before a huge crowd of 140,000 members, who turned the Bukit Jalil National Stadium into a sea of red to celebrate the party’s 71st anniversary. They represented 191 divisions from across the length and breadth of the country.
It was a tremendous show of strength and unity, and of their undivided support for Najib and the party as the 14th General Election nears.
Najib said Umno’s secret to survival had always been its people-centric approach.
The party, he said, unlike some, never took the extremist approach or thrived on playing the race card for political mileage.
Instead, Najib said, Umno had always built itself on the spirit of consensus and power sharing among its friends in the coalition to ensure stability of the ruling party.
The prime minister told his charges that by putting people first, Umno, which is the backbone of Barisan Nasional, would continue to gain their confidence in each general election.
He told them that the party was able to celebrate a joyous 71th anniversary simply because of what it stood for — championing Islam, the Malays and Bumiputera, and Malaysia as a whole — and that the strength was solidly built on these thrusts.
“This is our strength, the remarkable strength of Umno.”
“Who says Umno isn’t strong... just look at this assembly. And this is only a part of it... There are so many more in the rural areas, the suburbs and housing communities. We have more than three million members.
“The torch and the fighting spirit of the Malays, the Bumiputeras and this sacred party will continue to burn brightly and we will defend this to the last drop of our blood.”
Najib then asked party members, young and old, if they were ready for the general election “if Parliament was dissolved tomorrow”.
He was answered with a resounding “yes”.
The prime minister said the party and BN coalition would remain as the driver of the nation for years to come.
He said the spirit demonstrated at the mammoth gathering here to celebrate Umno’s 71st anniversary showed that he was not alone in his fight for Umno.
“Principles based on loyalty have made Umno a solid and stronger party. We are not afraid despite what the opposition throws at us because we will face it with all our might,” he said.
He said Umno’s relevance to the country also hinged on the fact that it had always put the people first and was consistent.
Najib hit out at former Umno leaders who betrayed the party, “to collude with “chauvinist DAP”, which is known to be against the Malays and Islam”.
He pointed out that even the Islamic party, Pas, had severed ties with DAP over the latter's antagonistic approach towards Islam.
“Pas considers DAP the enemy of Islam. As for Umno, DAP is the enemy of Malays... (Pas president) Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang has said Umno and Pas practised maturity in politics.
“We can have differing views in politics, but when it comes to the p e ople’s interests, ever yone should rally together.
“Umno’s struggles are always relevant and suit all eras... whether it was the fight against the Malayan Union, during the post-independence period, the New Economic Policy, and now, as we head towards the National Transformation 50 (TN50) agenda and aspire to be a top 20 nation in the world,” he said, adding that the party always had a clear vision and acted on it.
“A vision without action is pointless and action without a vision will result in a mess,” Najib said, vowing that Umno would continue its struggle.
He then led an emotional prayer, seeking divine guidance and blessings, for the party to pursue its struggles, followed by a heartfelt poem as a takeaway from the gathering:
My brethren, the custodians and warriors of Umno,
Let us rise and wave with pride the Sang Saka Bangsa,
Never ever let Umno’s pennant fall to the country’s enemies and traitors,
Come what may, we will fight them...
No retreat, no surrender, No retreat, no surrender.
In his speech, Najib expressed confidence that the party of 3.63 million members stood firmly behind him.
“I am not alone! Look here... the top Umno leaders are with me,” Najib said to rapturous applause that filled the stadium.
He also honoured all 13 Barisan Nasional component parties and non-governmental organisation Friends of BN by calling up their respective presidents to stand up in the middle of the crowd.
Earlier, Najib and his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, arrived at the stadium to thunderous applause from more than 140,000 Umno members, who converged to celebrate the party’s 71st anniversary celebration.
The celebratory mood was further heightened when the song Semboyan telah berbunyi began playing, with those gathered cheering and waving the Sang Saka Bangsa flag.
Also accompanying Najib and Rosmah were Umno vice-presidents Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.
Former prime minister and Umno president Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was also present.
Just after Najib went on the stage, Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin, who led the Umno Run into the stadium, handed over the Umno flag to the party president. The audience then stood to sing Negaraku, followed by Umno’s anthem — Bersatu Bersetia Berkhidmat — as Najib raised the Sang Saka Bangsa.
The Umno Flag Run was held in 12 states concurrently since May 1 and attracted thousands of Umno, leaders and supporters amidst many activities held at its state events.