HISHAMMUDDIN TELLS UMNO MEMBERS TO BE INCLUSIVE, MODERATE
Question: The Malays have come a long way since the formation of Umno. Do you think Umno has achieved its objectives?
Answer: Umno has always tried to adjust its struggles according to the world’s landscape and world leaders have great respect for us. However, the positioning of the Muslims and Malays in this volatile world and the relevancy of Umno are issues that we are facing. There are no fixed formulas, however. For example, the world is still struggling to address the Islamic State threat, as well as the uncertain global economy. If we do not remain focused, these issues can affect Umno’s ability to defend the Malays. I am glad that the world respects Malaysia’s leadership that is helmed by Barisan Nasional and Umno. Q: There have been attempts to weaken the party by making Umno’s top leadership the target
of accusations. What is your take on this?
A: These attacks come with the job. Whoever holds the party’s top position will find that these attacks are directed at them. This is nothing new. When Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was the party president, he was labelled ‘mahafiraun’ and Tun Abdullah Badawi was given a derogatory name. Datuk Seri Najib Razak was attacked because he is the Umno president and prime minister.
Q: Many accusations have been hurled against Umno on social media. Has the party been able to refute these allegations?
A: The situation today is much better compared with three years ago. At the time, our members were confused by the statements made by our former leaders who had left the party. However, the party today is stronger than ever and our members who are attending this year’s general assembly are very loyal. They are loyal to the party, and not its leaders. We hope to show to the people that despite the actions of a few, the majority of Umno leaders are still with us.
Q: On next week’s Umno general assembly, what are some of the key issues that will be raised by delegates and what is your advice to them?
A: I advise them to focus on the upcoming general election and to put aside their personal agendas. I hope that they will not talk about the upcoming party elections because party positions are pointless if we are unable to secure a big mandate from the people.
As the chairman of Umno’s resolutions committee, I can guide the speakers. For example, an Umno election manual that we published points out the fact that the abolition of the Batu Tiga highway toll is due to efforts by the Shah Alam Umno
Youth. If there are other people claiming credit for Umno’s efforts, this book can refute their claim. This is what we want to tell the delegates through this book, which we will distribute next week.
Q: What can Umno do to ensure that Malay voters continue to support the party?
A: We have to convince not only the Malays, but also the nonMalays, that our party is inclusive and takes into account their interests. We hope to drive home this message next week.
Q: There has been talk about a ‘Malay tsunami’ that will carry Umno and BN back to power in GE14. What is the likelihood of this happening?
A: If this Malay tsunami is constructive and ensures that the non-Malays are not sidelined, there is no reason why we should be apologetic. But there should not be a Malay tsunami that will divide the races. Since its formation, Umno believes that we should not win by splitting the country apart. Q: Several new parties have been established recently, including
Parti Warisan Sabah and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM). Will they pose a significant threat to Umno?
A: Personally, the more parties there are in the opposition, the more chaotic they become. They are fighting for different things and the people are not stupid. The people can see for themselves whether or not Warisan can unite with other, more established parties like DAP and PKR. What we do in BN is not perfect, but at least we have a common understanding and we have gone through many hardships to make sure we stay together.
Q: PPBM president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is a former Umno deputy president and also former BN election director. Will his experience in Umno be a threat to the party?
A: No, because the landscape has changed and our approach has changed in tandem with the new landscape. What he and former Umno leaders went through is no longer relevant and Umno has moved on. We don’t see a threat from them because we have undergone a transformation and implemented a slew of new initiatives to strengthen our machinery.
Q: Let’s zoom in on Johor, which has been described as one of the key battlegrounds in GE14. What are BN’s chances of retaining the state? Will the opposition be able to make inroads?
A: I come from Johor and we’ve been through the experience of the founder of Umno (Datuk Onn Jaafar) leaving the party. This was followed by then deputy prime minister and deputy president Tun Musa Hitam resigning from his position. History has shown that Johor Umno has never looked at individuals to determine the future of the party. I hope it is the same now, and after going down to the ground, I see the maturity of Johor Umno led by Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin and supported by the palace.
The opposition recently said they would target Johor but they have to be more specific than that. Which seats are you targeting and who are the candidates that you will propose to Johoreans, because the people of Johor are not going to accept you just like that.