‘FOCUS ON NON-MALAYS, TOO’
Chinese voters are fed up with the opposition, says DPM
CHINESE voters have accepted Barisan Nasional (BN) and are more receptive towards BN after their bad experience of supporting the opposition in the last general election.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said their shift in support would benefit BN.
He said it was pertinent for BN and Umno leaders to win the hearts and minds of Malay and non-Malay voters.
“We cannot focus only on Malay voters because Chinese voters want to support BN, too, as they are fed up with the opposition after voting for them in the last election. Chinese voters feel that they were cheated then, and they are now more receptive towards BN.”
He said this at the Pulai Umno division delegates’ meeting at Kompleks Tan Sri Mohamed Rahmat here yesterday.
Zahid, who is also BN deputy chairman, urged leaders to emulate Pulai Umno division chief Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed for being close to non-Malay voters in his constituency.
“I know that Nur Jazlan often visits Chinese-majority areas, and some have said that maybe he spends less time in Malay areas. But, he is doing his job as a member of parliament.
“He knows that 47 per cent of the voters in his constituency are Malays and 40.9 per cent are Chinese.
“All Umno leaders and members understand that we need the votes of Malays and non-Malays.”
Zahid urged Umno leaders and members to defend the party against instigators who might have been their former leaders.
“Some of these former leaders used Umno as a mere stopover. Their time has passed, but this ‘house’ of Umno remains our responsibility.
“We cannot let these leaders or ex-leaders throw stones and shatter the glass of this house of Umno, which we have built for 71 years.”
Zahid said it was not an easy task to strengthen a 71-year-old party, but it continued to be relevant due to the work of succeeding leaders to modernise the party.
He paid tribute to Nur Jazlan’s father, the late Tan Sri Mohamed Rahmat, who was the former Umno and BN secretary-general.
“Tok Mat’s (Mohamed) contributions to Umno and BN were too many.
“Till this day, I continue to heed his request for me to look out for his son (Nur Jazlan) when I hold a top party post.”