UMNO has reaffirmed its commitment to gazette Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman (Jalan TAR) in Kuala Lumpur as a Bumiputera Special Economic Zone, in line with a resolution adopted at its previous General Assembly.
Its Secretary-General Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said the initiative forms part of the party’s broader agenda to strengthen Bumiputera economic participation in urban areas through more structured and targeted policies.
“This is a resolution from the last UMNO General Assembly, and God willing, I will bring it to the attention of the Honourable President to follow up and see it through,” he said after officiating the UMNO Bukit Bintang Division Delegates Meeting in the capital today.
Asyraf said a meeting with key stakeholders, including the Federal Territories Minister and the Mayor of Kuala Lumpur, would be held soon to discuss the implementation process.
“I believe there will be a meeting with stakeholders in the near future, including with the Federal Territories Minister and the Mayor of Kuala Lumpur. God willing, I will also speak with the Honourable Deputy Prime Minister so that he can take the necessary follow-up action,” he added.
At last year’s UMNO General Assembly, UMNO Bukit Bintang Division Chief Datuk Tengku Azman Tengku Zainol Abidin proposed that Jalan TAR be designated a special economic zone focusing on Bumiputera culture, arts and heritage.
The proposal drew support from UMNO President Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and the party’s Federal Territories liaison chief Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, who agreed to bring the matter before the Cabinet for further action.
UMNO needs new strategies to regain lost ground in GE16 – Wan Rosdy
Meanwhile, UMNO Vice-President Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail has called for a fresh and innovative approach as the party seeks to reclaim parliamentary seats lost in previous elections, including Kepala Batas.
He noted that the shifting political landscape, particularly with the introduction of Undi 18, demands a departure from outdated strategies.
“We are currently studying what needs to be done before facing the next election. In Pahang, for instance, we have started to aggressively reach out to young people, including students and Pahang-born individuals living outside the state,” he said after officiating the Kepala Batas UMNO Division Delegates Meeting today.
“If we use the same approach, we will get the same results. We will maintain our performance, but we must also adopt new approaches to boost public confidence in the current government,” he added.
Also present was Kepala Batas UMNO Division Chief Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican, who is also the assemblyman for Bertam.
Wan Rosdy urged UMNO members in Kepala Batas to develop clear strategies to win back the parliamentary seat once held by former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi from 1978 to 2013.
In the 15th General Election (GE15), Reezal Merican lost the Kepala Batas seat to Perikatan Nasional (PN) candidate Dr Siti Mastura Muhammad by a majority of 2,867 votes.
Responding to PN’s recent claim that it had devised a plan to capture Pahang in the next general election, Wan Rosdy dismissed it as mere political rhetoric.
“They (the opposition) do not know the actual situation in Pahang. We are currently working hard to reclaim the seats won by PN,” he said.
Yesterday, Bersatu Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah stated that PN had mapped out a strategy to defend its existing constituencies and was eyeing control of Pahang in GE16. - July 6, 2025
