Umno’s political relevance depends on winning back Malay voters

 No News Is Bad News

 

Umno’s political relevance depends on winning back Malay voters

KUALA LUMPUR, June 9, 2023: It is just common sense that any political party or coalition cannot go to the polls fighting each other.

Umno Supreme Council member Isham Jalil said DAP would be able to take care of themselves in the coming elections in the six states as it had the majority support of ethnic Chinese and Indian Malaysians.

Isham is just facing reality when he also said that his priority would be to support Umno candidates to ensure they could defeat those from Perikatan Nasional (PN), comprising the Taliban-like PAS and Bersatu, helmed by former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

Umno, still the largest Malay party, had suffered its worst ever electoral defeat in history in the 15th General Election (GE15), losing substantial support from Malay voters.

For it to remain politically relevant and to help keep Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s Unity Government (UG) stable until the next general election, it needs to win back the Malay support that it lost.

Therefore, Isham is absolutely right and the reality is that Umno needs to win convincingly with Anwar’s PKR (Parti Keadilan Rakyat).

However, Isham and Umno must also acknowledge that all its UG coalition parties, including DAP, are not its political enemies now.

Umno’s enemies are PAS and PN. Period.

Umno and its allies must, therefore, go to the polls as a united entity, training all its energy and attention on removing the threat posed by the Taliban-like PAS and PN to Malaysians and their country amid the immediate need for the UG to heal an economy that is saddled with a RM1.5 trillion national debt.

No News Is Bad News reproduces below online news portal Free Malaysia Today’s report on what Isham said:

DAP can take care of themselves in state polls, says Isham

Umno Supreme Council member Isham Jalil says DAP has enough support from Chinese voters.

FMT Reporters - 09 Jun 2023, 10:16am

Isham Jalil said he has always been consistent in his views on DAP before and after the formation of the unity government.

PETALING JAYA: Umno Supreme Council member Isham Jalil is resolute in his refusal to support DAP in the upcoming state elections.

In a Facebook video, Isham said his priority would be to support Umno candidates to ensure they could defeat those from Perikatan Nasional (PN).

“DAP can take care of themselves in the areas (they contest) since they have the support of Chinese voters. So we don’t have to worry about that, they can win without Umno’s support.

“Whoever wants to get mad at this statement of mine, go ahead,” he said.

Isham added that he has been consistent with his views on working with DAP, “unlike Annuar Musa”.

“Before the last election, when people asked whether Umno could cooperate with DAP, I said this would be difficult due to differences in ideology. See my response on this before and after GE15, as well as after the unity government was formed.

“I’ve always been consistent,” he said.

He said in contrast, Annuar, a former Umno veteran, had previously said cooperation between DAP and Umno was not impossible.

“Then he made an about-turn and is now criticising us,” Isham said.

He had previously warned that support for Umno will be eroded if it continues to demand that members support DAP candidates in the elections that are due to take place in six states within the next three months.

He was responding to Umno Supreme Council member Ahmad Maslan, who said party members should look at DAP candidates in the upcoming state elections as representing the unity government rather than the party itself.

However, later Ahmad called for a stop to all the polemic surrounding his controversial statement and explained that Umno members would not have to vote for DAP as their logo was not on the ballot, as it was part of Pakatan Harapan (PH).

Commenting on the attendance of leaders from DAP and other members of the unity coalition at Umno’s general assembly today, Isham said they should be treated “like guests visiting during Hari Raya”.

Isham also said he hoped seat distribution for the upcoming state polls can be announced soon so that the machinery can begin preparations.- FMT