‘We need mandate from all Malaysians’

Give your support to ruling coalition in GE14, says Hisham

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein is sending a strong message to all Malaysians, including Chinese voters who rejected Barisan Nasional in 2013, to give their support to the ruling coalition in the coming general election.

He said that in order for the voices of Malaysians to be fairly represented, Barisan needed a strong mandate from all races in the 14th general election (GE14), which many expect will be next year.

“My appeal to them is that while we have our weaknesses we will overcome them together, but it is important that we have the mandate of all Malaysians.

“If we win just on Malay votes, it will send a wrong signal and will affect our plans for the future of the country,” Hishammuddin said in an interview with The Star in conjunction with Umno’s upcoming general assembly beginning next Tuesday.

The interview was held at his office here where he had earlier received a courtesy call from General Fang Fenghui, China’s Chief of Joint Staff Department, Central Military Commission.

He was answering a question on whether he still had concerns about the sentiments of non-Malay voters, particularly the Chinese, ahead of GE14.

He pointed out that TN50 (The 2050 National Transformation policy) will need to include the aspirations of all Malaysians and “to do that we need a strong mandate, and that mandate must come from all Malaysians.”

He said that some non-Malay voters who had rejected Barisan at GE13 may have come to the realisation that the Opposition promise to unseat Barisan from government rings hollow.

“Maybe after the last election there was a realisation that it (defeating Barisan Nasional) is not so easy to achieve. At the end of the day they have to come to terms with that for this coming general election.”

Hishammuddin said there were already “good signs” that some Chinese voters who had turned away from Barisan were back, judging from the results of the Sarawak state election as well as the Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar by-elections.

Asked what he felt was the biggest challenge for Umno and Barisan in GE14, Hishammuddin said it was getting the right candidates.

The second biggest challenge was to ensure a strong election machinery, followed by ensuring that all Barisan component parties agree on seat allocations.

My appeal to them is that while we have our weaknesses we will overcome them together. Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein