Time for Zahid to rid Umno of ‘saboteurs’

 No News Is Bad News

 

Time for Zahid to rid Umno of ‘saboteurs’

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 11, 2023: It sure looks like some Umno leaders are trying to gain political fame by trying to out-Malay the Taliban-like PAS and Perikatan Nasional (PN).

They do not believe in the Anwar Ibrahim-led Unity Government (UG) concept for multi-racial Malaysia.

They continue to use the DAP, like PAS and PN, as their punching bag.

If such Umno leaders do not believe in the UG, why don’t they just leave to join PAS or PN? Why remain with the UG and continue to sabotage unity ties in PH and, national unity and harmony?

One such leader, Umno Supreme Council member Isham Jalil, is fast becoming a thorn and an idiot to the PH.

Once a leader who talks sensibly, Isham now utters rubbish racial and religious bigotry for political fame.

Isham said Umno should distance itself from PH, DAP in polls to help the party regain grassroots support. So, what happened in PH’s twin electoral wins in Simpang Jeram and Pulai?

Didn’t Umno and PH worked round-the-clock to campaign for Amanah’s candidates?

How did Umno’s Reezal Merican Naina Merican win Sungai Acheh in the Penang elections without the support of non-Malays, DAP and PH?

Now that the elections are finally over, Umno president Zahid Hamidi would do well to consolidate his party internally and externally to ensure Umno remains relevant to Malaysians to help govern multi-national Malaysia.

He should rid Umno of those who believe in racial and religious bigotry for gaining political mileage. Purge all of them, without fear or favour, and Umno will continue to remain relevant with the support of all Malaysians.

No News Is Bad News reproduces news related to the issues:

Umno man wants party to distance itself from PH, DAP in polls

Supreme Council member Isham Jalil says such a move will help the party regain grassroots support.

FMT Reporters - 11 Sep 2023, 3:13pm

Isham Jalil said Umno could not survive without grassroots support.

PETALING JAYA: An Umno Supreme Council member has urged the party to distance itself from Pakatan Harapan (PH), especially DAP, in any future elections and contest on its own.

Isham Jalil said this would help win back party grassroots who had rejected Umno’s current alliance with the PH component.

However, he said, Barisan Nasional (BN) could still remain in the unity government.

“We could contribute in matters relating to government policy and at the same time attract the grassroots (without DAP ties),” he said in a Facebook post.

Isham added that while Umno may not succeed in future by-elections after distancing itself from DAP, it would at least help return grassroots support.

“This will give us some chance to revive the party,” he said, adding that the party could not survive without grassroots support.

Umno is hoping to retain the Pelangai state seat in Pahang in a by-election next month.

The seat fell vacant following the death of its incumbent Johari Harun in an airplane crash last month.

Yesterday, DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook said the party would send its entire machinery to help BN in the Pelangai by-election.

Zahid ‘surprised’ by loud cheers for him at DAP convention

The BN chairman and Umno president says he hopes ‘there won’t be all sorts of interpretations’ at the enthusiastic welcome from DAP members.

FMT Reporters - 10 Sep 2023, 8:30pm

BN chairman and Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi with DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook at the DAP convention in Putrajaya today. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA: Barisan Nasional chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who said he was surprised by the enthusiastic welcome he received at the DAP convention in Putrajaya today, has expressed hopes “there won’t be all sorts of interpretations”.

Zahid, who is deputy prime minister, broke tradition by becoming the first Umno president to attend a DAP convention, after more than 60 years as bitter adversaries.

Umno and DAP are now partners in the unity government formed by a coalition of Pakatan Harapan, BN and East Malaysian parties.

Speaking in his constituency of Bagan Datuk, Zahid said his presence at the DAP convention was an act of reciprocation in good manners, using the Malay expression “orang berbudi, kita berbahasa”, Bernama reported.

Zahid said DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook had attended the Umno general assembly earlier this year, and in response he had merely accepted DAP’s invitation to their convention.

“The ‘authentic’ loud applause just now surprised me. I hope there won’t be all sorts of interpretations,” he told reporters.

Others present were BN secretary-general Zambry Abdul Kadir and Umno secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki.

Zahid, who was granted a conditional discharge on 47 corruption charges in the Yayasan Akalbudi case, said anyone disputing the decision should wait for the Attorney-General’s Chambers response after it had studied new evidence related to the case.

Asked about plans by Perikatan Nasional to hold a protest gathering in Kuala Lumpur on Malaysia Day, Zahid said: “Demonstrations can be held every day but what is the effect?”

Attorney-General Ahmad Terrirudin Salleh, said that the department would take a decision on the case after completing a more thorough and comprehensive investigation.

DAP machinery launch to ensure PH-BN victory in Pelangai by-election

By Mohd Iskandar Ibrahim, Mohd Nasaruddin Parzi - September 10, 2023 @ 2:35pm

DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke. -NSTP/AIZUDDIN SAAD

PUTRAJAYA: DAP will deploy its entire machinery to ensure the victory of Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN) in the Pelangai by-election on Oct 7.

DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke said the effort was based on the spirit of togetherness and reciprocating the same commitment shown by the BN machinery that helped PH candidates win in two by-elections in Johor yesterday.

"This victory (Pulai parliament and Simpang Jeram state seats) is a boost of confidence to the unity government, and we will bring this spirit to the Pelangai state seat by-election later.

"We take note of the seriousness of the machinery in Johor to get a win for the PH candidate. It is a formula for success, and when it comes to the Pelangai state seat later, it will be PH's turn to campaign for the Umno and BN candidates.

"It just so happens that the Pelangai state seat is in the Bentong parliament constituency, which is represented by DAP. So, of course DAP will deploy our machinery to focus on the Pelangai state seat where we have great support and influence.

"I believe Pelangai has also been a stronghold of Umno all this time. (It is) the seat of the former menteri besar, and Umno won it comfortably in the last general election," he said at a press conference after the 2023 DAP congress, here today.

The Election Commission set the Pelangai state by-election on Oct 7 with Sep 23 as the nomination day.

The Pelangai state seat was declared vacant when incumbent Datuk Seri Johari Harun died in a plane crash in Elmina, Shah Alam, which also killed nine others.

Loke is confident that with cooperation of all parties in the unity government, the victory obtained by PH-BN will continue in the Pelangai by-election.

"The people do not want to see divisive politics. They want is political stability so the government has a focus. Political stability is very important at this time," he said.

Commenting further, he said the result of the Simpang Jeram state by-election also proved that the people in Johor wanted the existing leadership of the menteri besar to be maintained and continued.

"We have to give credit to him (Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi). In our study, he has a fairly high level of support from voters. This is a manifestation of his leadership."

Touching on the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance Party's (MUDA) stance towards the unity government lately, Loke reminded its president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman that the party's victory in the Muar parliament constituency was achieved with the support of PH voters.

"I have to remind Syed Saddiq in the Muar Parliament, he won because they had an understanding with PH. We did not place candidates there. DAP supported and campaigned for them, it was not Syed Saddiq's victory in Muar.

"So, don't forget his victory in Muar is due to a political understanding with PH. We gave six seats to MUDA without any competition. He won at the time on the PH block even though he did not contest under the PH logo," he said.

We are not your enemy, Loke tells Malays

DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook says DAP stands firm in maintaining the status of Islam and Bahasa Malaysia as per the Federal Constitution.

Shahrul Shahabudin - 10 Sep 2023, 2:28pm

Loke Siew Fook said DAP has Malay leaders and its constitution is not exclusive to any specific race.

PUTRAJAYA: DAP is not the enemy of the Malay community because the party’s struggle is based on the Federal Constitution, which enshrines key rights and privileges for Malays, says its secretary-general Loke Siew Fook.

He said there was no reason for the Malays to be afraid of the party as it had always stood firm in maintaining the status of Islam and Bahasa Malaysia as per the Federal Constitution.

Loke added that the party’s struggle was only about ensuring there is a fair government that takes into account Malaysia’s multiracial setting.

“DAP is not the enemy of the Malays and Malays are not DAP’s enemy. DAP has Malay leaders and our constitution is not exclusive to any specific race,” Loke said in his speech at the DAP convention today.

He was responding to recent political rhetoric from Malay politicians that the party is anti-Malay or projects an image that is not Malay-friendly.

In the run-up to yesterday’s by-elections in Pulai and Simpang Jeram, Umno Supreme Council member Nur Jazlan Mohamed suggested to DAP that it drop its “Malaysian Malaysia” slogan in order to gain more support from the Malays.

Meanwhile, referring to Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s presence at the DAP convention today, Loke said Zahid was the first sitting Umno president to attend a major DAP meeting.

Without specifically mentioning Dr Mahathir Mohamed by name, he added that a former prime minister and Umno president had also attended the DAP convention in 2016 and was surprised that it was held in Bahasa Malaysia.

In 2016, the then Bersatu chairman made a surprise appearance at the DAP convention and praised the party for its commitment to the Federal Constitution.

“He (Mahathir) said he was surprised and that it had changed his perception of DAP. He said that he did not expect DAP leaders to be giving their speeches in Malay,” Loke said.

Later, at a gathering in Bagan Datuk, Zahid said he was taken aback by his reception at the convention.

“This is the first time in my entire life attending any DAP assembly, but the genuine and thunderous applause surprised me.

“Nine months ago, we were political adversaries, but in the unity government under the leadership of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the political landscape has changed, and we respect each other,” he said.

In moving forward, Loke reaffirmed the party’s commitment to strengthening the unity government and said DAP would not do anything to destabilise it.

The Seremban MP called for all leaders in the unity government to manage any conflict carefully because the only goal was to ensure the success of the government.

Loke said the Pakatan Harapan (PH) victory in the Pulai and Simpang Jeram by-elections would be a morale booster for the unity government.

He singled out Umno vice-president Khaled Nordin and Johor menteri besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi for praise in organising the party’s support for the two PH candidates in yesterday’s polls.

He said the victories, especially in Simpang Jeram, were a “vote of confidence” for Onn’s leadership as well.