Umno: We’ll stay united to face ‘dark times’
Party leadership confident it will rise from the ashes
KUALA LUMPUR: Umno has asked its members to remain united and strong in facing “dark times”.
The party leadership has pledged that Umno “will rise from the ashes” and will emerge stronger.
In a closed door session with division chiefs, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is now assuming the duties of Umno president, wants division chiefs to relay this message to the grassroots.
(Umno branch and division meetings will take place from this weekend till end of June.)
Pasir Salak division chief Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman said Dr Ahmad Zahid wants members to be assured that Umno’s struggles will persist.
“Umno wants its members not to be discouraged by the election results but instead use this as a valuable lesson.
“He made a good point just now. We may have lost the GE but we are certainly not dead. And since we are still very much alive, we must soldier on,” said Tajuddin when met after the meeting yesterday.
Machang division chief Datuk Ahmad Jazlan Yaakob said the party leadership wanted members to learn from Barisan Nasional’s loss in the polls and use the experience to its advantage.
“The leadership has asked us to talk to the grassroots so that they will not be disheartened.
“This is the time we do not abandon Umno.
“We must be one with the party in good or bad times,” he said.
Umno supreme council member Datuk Ahmad Maslan said: “Defeat will not last forever. In past elections, we lost Kedah and Perak but in the end, we regained those states. It is not impossible for us to win back Malaysia.”
On the party polls, Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin said mem
bers must face it with a spirit to reform the party.
“Our focus should be on reforming the party. Umno should be led by those who are sincere in revitalising and reforming the party,” he said.
Pledging support to Dr Ahmad Zahid and Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein in leading the party, Khairy said it was time to stabilise the party while raising the spirit of grassroots members.
“Reforming the party will only happen if members and leaders choose to do so,” he said.
With the ongoing postmortem on the party’s GE14 performance, he said: “We should take time to reflect and decide what changes must be made to Umno and Barisan.
“It is a clear message from the rakyat that they are always scrutinising the Government, thus we must be a credible Opposition.
“However, such a goal will not happen overnight.
“We must start work as soon as possible.”