Umno won't back Malay unity efforts with ‘hidden political motives', says Zahid
Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Umno will remain part of the unity government 'we helped establish'. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA : Umno will not support any movement that claims to unite the Malays but is actually rooted in personal political ambition, says party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Zahid said any genuine effort to unite the Malay community must be built on shared ideals, not disguised attempts to revive political careers.
'We in Umno will never accept any form of secretariat that claims to unite the Malays under the guise of politics.
'We remain in Umno, and we will continue to be part of the unity government we helped establish,' he was quoted as saying at the Bagan Datuk Umno division meeting today.
Zahid is believed to be referring to former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's proposal for a 'Malay secretariat committee' to unite the Malays and restore their political power.
Announcing the formation of a loose Malay unity alliance on June 4, Mahathir said he would invite Umno members to join it in an effort to 'restore Malay power' in the government.
He stressed, however, that he was not inviting Umno as a party to join the alliance.
Zahid described the secretariat's formation as 'a political move driven by the failure of a former prime minister who lost public support'.
'When someone finds that none of their party's candidates won in the last election, and all lost their deposits, only then do they suddenly want to find a way to 'unite the Malays'.
'And yet, it was that very person who previously divided the Malays,' he said.
He outlined Mahathir's political journey – from leading Umno and becoming prime minister, to forming new parties after being ousted, only to lose his deposit in a recent general election -and said his attempt to form a secretariat was merely an effort to compensate for his political shortcomings.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malay Mail
22 minutes ago
- Malay Mail
Mat Sabu: Iran impact on Malaysia's food supply low as key imports are from India, China and Asean
BERUAS, June 15 — Malaysia is not heavily dependent on food imports from Iran, and as such, the situation does not impact the country's food supply, said Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu. He explained that Malaysia's food import requirements from Iran are limited to dates and legume products, which are not among the country's primary food commodities. 'Most of our food imports (requirements) from Iran are not high (from Iran), Most of our imports are from India, Pakistan, the Middle East, China and Asean countries,' he told a press conference after visiting the Perak State Farmers' Organisation (PPN) cattle rearing project at PPN Perak Kampung Tengah here today. Meanwhile, when asked about the impact of the current hot weather on padi crops, Mohamad said that so far, 60 per cent of the country's padi production remains unaffected. However, he said, adjustments to the padi planting schedule may be necessary based on discussions with the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (MADA) and the Kemubu Agricultural Development Authority (KADA). 'Sometimes we need to change the (planting) schedule a little and so on, depending on weather conditions and suitability,' he said. Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu says paddy planting adjustments may be necessary if the current heatwave prolongs. — Unsplash pic Regarding today's visit, Mohamad said the ministry would assist the livestock farm, which currently houses about 500 animals, in building a slaughterhouse to help increase the farm's productivity. 'We have set a target to achieve a meat self-sufficiency level (SSL) of more than 30 per cent by 2030, compared to 20 per cent currently. With the developments we are seeing now, we are confident of reaching the goal,' he said. — Bernama
Malay Mail
32 minutes ago
- Malay Mail
Anwar hails progress on LCS project, stresses importance of good governance
LUMUT, June 15 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has expressed his satisfaction with the progress of the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) construction by Lumut Naval Shipyard (Lunas) at the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) base here, describing it as commendable. He said the progress demonstrated the government's strong commitment to prioritising national security assets and reflected the Madani government's emphasis on good governance. 'We regard the RMN as a key line of defence, as our waters are not immune to threats such as terrorism, potential foreign incursions and smuggling. That is why I agreed for the LCS project to continue under the Finance Ministry. 'Previous delays stemmed from weak management, governance issues and corruption. If the management is poor, how can we ensure maritime security? That's why good governance is essential,' he said in his speech at the Kenduri Rakyat programme held in conjunction with the Perak Madani Rakyat Programme 2025 at Shariff Hall, RMN Lumut here today. Also present was Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil. Earlier, the prime minister visited the Lunas facility at the RMN base to inspect the ongoing LCS construction works. Meanwhile, Anwar said the government remains attentive to the need to enhance the country's defence assets, with the Defence Ministry being among the ministries receiving the largest allocations in the annual budget. 'Defence ranks third (in terms of allocation), after education and health. For 2025 alone, RM21.2 billion has been allocated - a significant amount for a developing nation,' he said. He added that the move reflected the government's appreciation of the sacrifices made by the security forces and was aimed at ensuring national stability, which is crucial for economic growth. Anwar also said he is often moved when learning of the poor condition of certain security assets that are still in use to safeguard the nation. 'That's why, upon the formation of the Madani Government, I called in all the armed forces chiefs and asked them to outline their priority needs. Based on that, we work to secure sufficient funding to improve our defence machinery and assets,' he said. — Bernama
Malay Mail
35 minutes ago
- Malay Mail
Umno is better in government than on the sidelines, Tok Mat tells critics
KUALA LUMPUR, June 15 — Umno will remain in the federal government to continue championing the Malay and Bumiputera agenda, said party deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan. He described the decision as a strategic move, warning that exiting the government would simply allow another party to take its place. 'If we leave, another party will fill the gap within two hours. We don't want to be spectators on the sidelines. It is better to be in government, where we can drive new agendas suited to today's realities,' he said. Mohamad, who is also the Member of Parliament for Rembau, was speaking after officiating the Cheras Umno division delegates meeting here today. He cited Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) as one of the party's key focus areas. Although the portfolio is traditionally under the Human Resources Ministry, he said Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had taken the lead in addressing gaps, particularly affecting Malay youths. 'Many are not dropping out because they failed exams, but because they never sat for them. That's why we introduced the National TVET Policy, the National Tahfiz Policy and several other initiatives,' he said. Mohamad added that Umno was undertaking internal reforms to adapt to a shifting political landscape, following setbacks in the 2022 general election. 'The political reality now is that no party, anywhere in the world, can govern alone. That era has ended. 'We must be realistic. Although we have 192 divisions, our strategy should focus on constituencies we can win. Political idealism can be misleading and dangerous,' he said. He also expressed pride in Umno's internal unity, saying it was one of the few stable parties in the country. 'No one will support a party that's in disarray. We must maintain harmony and project ourselves as a moderate, peaceful force,' he added. — Bernama
