Umno to pursue legal action for defamation, launches outreach to outstation voters

UMNO has announced plans to take legal action against parties spreading defamatory content or inciting false and negative perceptions about the party, particularly on social media.

Party Secretary-General Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said the decision was driven by the need to protect the party’s dignity and image amid the unregulated spread of misinformation online.

“For a long time, it has not been UMNO’s culture to file lawsuits or issue legal demands to any party,” he said after officiating the Bukit Bintang UMNO Division Delegates Meeting on Sunday.

“However, given the current environment and the way social media is evolving, it is time for UMNO to act more aggressively. We must also learn from the experiences of other political parties,” he said.

Also present at the event was Bukit Bintang UMNO chief, Datuk Tengku Azman Tengku Zainol Abidin.

Asyraf Wajdi confirmed that the party’s Supreme Council (MKT) had agreed to initiate the litigation process, which will be carried out immediately by UMNO headquarters.

“If you look at other parties, they are very aggressive in suing anyone who tries to create false perceptions or slander them, as a way of asserting their version of the truth.

“Likewise, we will not hesitate to act against anyone who spreads defamatory statements about UMNO leaders,” he said.

In a separate development, Asyraf Wajdi announced the establishment of a new UMNO department dedicated to engaging with voters who reside outside their constituencies, especially in urban areas like the Klang Valley, the Federal Territories, and Selangor.

“We’ve found that, on average, many voters are based in states different from where they are registered to vote, particularly in major urban centres.

“At the recent Supreme Council meeting, we approved a proposal to create the ‘External Voter Department’ to develop targeted strategies to engage with these voters in constituencies that UMNO and Barisan Nasional aim to contest,” he said.

According to him, the initiative will include community outreach and aid distribution programmes in areas identified as key to the party’s strategy for the upcoming 16th General Election. - July 6, 2025