UMNO president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today called for the 16th General Election to be brought forward, saying the time had come for the party to seek a fresh mandate from voters.
Zahid, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, made the call in his presidential policy speech at the 2026 Umno General Assembly, saying it reflected what he claimed was the public’s desire for an early election.
“The time has come for GE16 to be brought forward. This is not a demand, nor is it a hope.
“This is what the people want. Enough is enough. Give us a chance this time,” he said.
He described GE16 as a defining contest for Umno, saying the party’s “blue wave” was not simply about returning to government but securing a mandate to lead the country.
At the same time, Zahid said Umno and Barisan Nasional wanted to remain the anchor of national politics while being prepared to share power with other parties.
He said political cooperation, including a possible meeting of strengths with PAS, could alter Malaysia’s political landscape through a power-sharing formula.
“We want Umno and BN to be the anchor of politics in this country, but we must have a big enough heart to share power,” he said.
Zahid said leadership should not be mistaken for domination, arguing that Umno’s role should be to build confidence among other political parties and communities to work together.
He said the party wanted Malays to be strong without other communities feeling threatened, while Islam should continue to be upheld without creating fear among others.
“Because of that, MCA, MIC, PBRS, PPP and Friends of BN are not merely decorations on the stage during election seasons.
“They and we are part of the history of the future,” he said.
Zahid also used the phrase “when blue meets green, the colour will surely change”, in an apparent reference to the potential impact of cooperation between Umno and PAS.
The remarks come as political parties continue to position themselves ahead of GE16, with relations between Umno and PAS remaining a key question in the next general election.
GST return
On the economic front, Zahid called for the Goods and Services Tax (GST) to be reinstated, saying Umno believed it was a more effective taxation system than the current Sales and Services Tax (SST).
He said any future GST rate should be set at a more reasonable level while taking into account the government’s social protection commitments.
“Guru, change the taxation system back to GST. There is no such thing as a hybrid. No one implements a hybrid of GST and SST,” he said.
Zahid’s use of “guru”, meaning teacher, was a reference to a leaked telephone conversation between him and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in April 2021, during which he addressed Anwar using the term.
He also defended the introduction of GST under former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s administration.
“Bosku (Najib) got it right by introducing GST,” he said.
“Insya-Allah, we will bring GST back into the taxation system in this country.”
Zahid ended his speech by urging Umno members to remain committed to the political battle ahead.
Quoting the Malay proverb alang-alang menyeluk pekasam, biar sampai ke pangkal lengan, he said the party should see the fight through to the end.
“Since we have already chosen to fight, then let us fight. Fight on and fight until we win,” he said. – September 11, 2026
