‘FULL FREEDOM FOR MEMBERS’
Umno will hold its general assembly from Sept 28 to 30, its first after Barisan Nasional’s humiliating defeat in the 14th General Election. In an interview with TASNIM LOKMAN and MOHD AZRONE SARABATIN, its secretary-general, Tan Sri Annuar Musa, gives a r
Question: What can we expect at this year’s Umno general assembly?
Answer: As usual, we will begin with the launch of the Wanita, Youth and Puteri assemblies by deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hassan on Friday night. On Sept 29, there will be a parade inspection and flag-raising ceremony and the three wings will continue with their assemblies. On the same night, party president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will launch the assembly and deliver a policy speech. Debates and discussions on the president’s policy speech will be held the next day. There are no motions and debate topics this year. We are expecting 6,000 delegates.
Q: Why is the president’s policy the focus?
A: We have just completed the party elections for all levels and have elected Umno’s new leadership, including new Wanita, Youth and Puteri chiefs, Umno Supreme Council members and Zahid as our new president. This will be his maiden policy speech. This is very important, not only because this is his first policy speech after being elected, but also taking into consideration the new political scenario. We are now playing the role of an opposition party and this is also the first general assembly that we’re on the other divide. Due to the current dynamics and changing political landscape in the country, it is challenging and new to us.
Q: Has Pas responded to the invitation to attend the general assembly?
A: An official invitation was sent but whether they come or not does not matter because we are doing this as an opposition pact. This assembly will focus on internal operations, but we still extend invitations to other parties, such as our component parties. However, we are not inviting foreign political parties this time because we want to focus on domestic matters.
Q: You said the political landscape is dynamic and challenging. Can you elaborate on this? A: Politics nowadays must be open, pragmatic and not so rigid. At the same time, you have your own goals and the party’s discipline. We must always be open for discussion and continue to engage as many people around us, especially now with the “dynamic equilibrium” of coalition politics. With the exception of the current government, they were a loose coalition but have become a more formal coalition, something I would describe as Barisan Nasional 3.0.
However, being the opposition, we are just beginning to establish a new equilibrium. To ensure a good and positive type of coalition, we must be pragmatic and open. Engagement between Umno and Pas is just a start and very premature, not something that can be discussed for the 15th General Election.
We must be practical and realistic about BN as well. We must allow our component parties to transform in their own way, whichever they think is right.
No single party can run or rule the country. This is the reality of Malaysian politics. You need a coalition of political parties. The issue here is whether or not you have a good coalition.
Pakatan Harapan is not a good coalition because the differences (in power) are too big. One party is trying to rule the other. You can see DAP is so strong while Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia is too small a party. I read that Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad admitted that he cannot make a decision because he needs to consult the others first. This is not like it used to be when he was with BN. If we were to have an alternative coalition, we must have something better and offer the people what they want and solve their problems.
Q: Earlier this month, Umno was involved in a controversial video of people chanting “Bangkit Melayu” in what looked like an assembly involving Umno Supreme Council members Datuk Lokman Noor Adam and Datuk Tajuddin Abdul Rahman. Is this part of Umno’s rejuvenation and rebranding initiative? A: That is not Umno but a nongovernmental organisation, Pemantau Malaysia Baru, that Lokman leads. It was organised in Pasir Salak, of which Tajuddin is the member of parliament. It was their event and we, Umno, gave our support. Lokman organised it and we showed our support, but it does not mean it was approved or funded by Umno.
Q: This caused a major backlash against Umno. Your thoughts on this?
A: Why is Umno’s image tainted by this? Those who are upset are those who are against Umno. They want us to keep quiet, keep our mouth shut. They don’t agree with it and it is not of their interest, so of course they would be upset.
I support the idea of giving a proper programme. In the viral video, it only showed them doing a mob demonstration but 90 per cent of the programme was not shown. This included them trying to understand the legal aspects of things, learn how to do things according to procedures and how to do police reports.
We want things to be in a good, organised and civil manner. You cannot allow mob gatherings or mob politics because people will start attacking Umno and those who join us could be victimised.
It is a process to educate Umno members because we are not used to being the opposition and that we cannot take things for granted. It is a good initiative. Obviously, there are those in the government who are not happy because they know we were training to organise demonstrations.
But we are not in the business of making them happy. We are in the business of making them unhappy.
Q: Lokman and Tajuddin’s method may have seemed too extreme to some quarters, especially since they are Supreme Council members. What is the party’s stand on political freedom of expression now?
A: Umno has decided to give full freedom to our members so they can be more active in politics in their own way. Lokman is a Supreme Council member, but he has his own initiatives and when he asks for our support, we will cooperate with him.
He has his own way, Khairy Jamaluddin (Rembau member of parliament) has his own way and Bung Moktar Radin (Kinabatangan MP) may have his own way. We respect it, but when it comes to things decided by the party’s top leadership, then of course I will make an official statement.
Q: What do you think about critics claiming that Umno is playing the race card?
A: People who say that Umno uses racial and religious politics are merely trying to create fear. This is rubbish. Umno is the first political party that accepts multiracial politics and has developed this country on the basis of tolerance.
We have proven ourselves. PH is just working with four or five parties. We used to work with 13 political parties for over 60 years. We have our own track record and if people are trying to say that Umno is a racist political party, they are simply haters.
They know that’s not what we are but they are only focused on the Red Shirts’ gatherings and Sungai Besar Umno chief Datuk Seri Jamal Md Yunos. That is not Umno. Those are just incidents. It has nothing to do with our policies. From day one, Umno accepts multiracial politics.
In the earlier days, Tunku Abdul Rahman believed in separate parties looking after each community, but when it comes to the election, we come together under one symbol, Perikatan Kapal Layar, and now the “dacing” of BN. We have never entered an election as Umno because if we go in as Umno, it means we will only represent Malays.
Q: What do you think of Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as deputy prime minister and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as the eighth prime ministerin-waiting?
A: Anwar is a seasoned politician. He has gone through the fire and I am sure he knows what is best for the country. Surely, when he becomes the prime minister, he will not let his wife be his deputy. Dr Wan Azizah is known to have made a huge sacrifice for her husband and family. This little sacrifice of not being the deputy prime minister would be nothing to her.
She is the deputy prime minister by virtue of her being the PKR president. However, Anwar is now the new president and so, PKR cannot have both positions.
Overall, I would give Dr Wan Azizah a high rating for her duties and she can remain as MP or assist the government in other ways. She can be a senior minister and has a right to it because she is an elected member. People voted for her, otherwise you would be depriving her of her right to be chosen.