Mustapa: Umno must address weaknesses
KUALA LUMPUR: Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed said there was no denying that weaknesses in the Barisan Nasional administration needed to be addressed.
He said all those who were in the previous administration needed to be accountable for “some things which happened”, based on the concept of collective responsibility.
“All those in BN, especially Umno, need to be open about it and accept the people’s decision.
“Umno won 54 parliamentary seats and we need to fulfil the trust placed in us as best as we can.
“However, there is no denying that Umno needs to change,” he said in a statement.
Mustapa, who won the Jeli parliamentary seat in Kelantan, said Umno must reflect on the losses it suffered in the 14th General Election (GE14).
He said it was essential for Umno to initiate changes and rejuvenate the party.
“Umno leaders at all levels need to embrace change and reflect on what needs to be done. We need to undertake radical changes to restore people’s trust in the party,” he said.
Mustapa called on Umno members to reject the negative culture that had led to Umno’s image being scarred.
He cited the presence of “warlords” in the party, who were arrogant and practised money politics openly, and resorted to racial politics to gain support.
“We can no longer ignore all these or side-step these issues,” he said, adding that the outcome of GE14 was a clear signal from Malaysians that they wanted issues concerning integrity, accountability and good governance to be given priority by the government.
He said following the outcome of GE14, the people must give space to the new administration under the leadership of Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to lead the nation and put it on the right track.
On the Umno Supreme Council’s decision to open all top posts for contest, Mustapa said it was the right decision that could improve the party’s image.
“I hope the party elections will be free from money politics.
“The party grassroots must use the elections to choose those with vision and ability to lead the party towards recovery and prepare it for challenges.”
Mustapa said Umno would only recover if it was willing to face the harsh realities of its weaknesses.
He said the party needed to play its role as a constructive opposition to provide checks and balances in the new political landscape in the country.
“Malaysia has the potential to become a great nation and we all need to work together to achieve this.
“The government and opposition need to join hands in solving problems faced by the people and make Malaysia great.”