[UPDATED] Umno no longer dominant, must work harder for state polls: Zahid

PETALING JAYA – Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi acknowledged that the party is no longer dominant in the Malaysian political scene and emphasised the need for increased efforts to secure victory in the upcoming state elections.

During the party’s annual general assembly, Zahid said that despite being part of the unity government, Umno can no longer be considered a formidable force.

“We (Umno) must acknowledge that we are not dominant. 

“Therefore, the upcoming six state elections require our unwavering dedication, and we must strive to win the seats allocated to Barisan Nasional (BN),” he told reporters.

He stressed the importance of translating a sense of power into tangible results, saying that “feeling powerful without achieving meaningful outcomes is meaningless”.

Zahid, who is also deputy prime minister, pointed out that in last year’s general election (GE15), Umno only garnered approximately 23% of votes, resulting in a mere 11% of seats in Parliament.

Given Umno’s consecutive losses in the past two elections since GE14, Zahid urged party members to address their mistakes and weaknesses by finding common ground.

Addressing concerns about Umno’s collaboration with DAP, the Bagan Datuk MP emphasised that it did not imply compromising the party’s dignity.

He highlighted PAS’ history of political alliances with various parties, including DAP.

“I fail to see why our collaboration is seen as jeopardising Islam and the Malays when PAS has been engaged in such alliances for a considerable time.”

Zahid emphasised that Pakatan Harapan had never interfered with Umno’s primary concerns, namely Islam, Malays, the Malay rulers, and Bahasa Melayu. 

He also said that the coalition respected Umno’s prerogative to protect these key elements within its institution. – The Vibes, June 7, 2023