KUALA LUMPUR – Umno delegates have warned the party leadership that a decision not to allow contests for the president and deputy president’s posts will be to the party’s detriment.
Bukit Bintang Umno division chief Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Mohd Rafique stressed that the additional motion for the positions to remain status quo could impact grassroots sentiment towards the Barisan Nasional linchpin.
“If the posts are not open for contests, I am worried that voters will judge our party from a negative perspective,” he said today when debating party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s policy speech at the 2022 Umno general assembly.
“A lack of serious attention to the matter might affect not only support for the party, but also backing from Malay voters who represent 60% of voters and are keeping a close eye on our behaviour.”
He added that it is not too late for the party, which suffered its worst electoral performance during the recent general election, to revitalise its image.
“Maybe we, including myself, have made some mistakes in the past, but are we going to let those wrongs continue if we are already aware of them and know the reasoning behind our faults?” he questioned.
“We just hope that our leaders have the same intentions to restore our party’s dignity.”
Meanwhile, Iskandar Puteri Umno deputy chief Datuk Pandak Ahmad asserted that the motion, which was tabled by Negri Sembilan delegate Mohd Shukri Samsudin during yesterday’s proceedings, was put forth based on flawed logic.
“If we really want stability and unity (within Umno), why stop at (not contesting the president and deputy president posts only?
“Why not extend this to party branches and division positions? Only then can we safeguard the party’s unity and stability.
“Johor Umno is curious as to how long we will ride on (the concepts of) party stability and unity,” he said during his speech, lamenting how the party is now in a political dilemma that can only be assuaged if necessary steps are enacted soon.
Shukri’s introduction of the motion yesterday reportedly received mixed reactions from the gallery, with some cheering him on while others could be heard expressing their disagreement through jeers.
Umno information chief Isham Jalil later said that a vote on the proposed motion is scheduled to be held at the end of today’s proceedings, as is the convention with any other motions. – The Vibes, January 14, 2023
