Latest news with #UMDAP
Focus Malaysia
4 days ago
- Business
- Focus Malaysia
PMX comes under fire for mocking rabble-rouser Malaysians 'to go buy petrol in Singapore'
FORMER UMNO supreme council member Isham Jalil has led a chorus of detractors to troll Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's out of the box notion that detractors who complained about high petrol prices in Malaysia should try to re-fuel in Singapore or for that matter even Thailand and Indonesia. For context, PMX who is also the Finance Minister had snubbed opposition leaders at Saturday's (July 26) Turun Anwar rally who criticised the proposed six sen RON95 price reduction to RM1.99/litre as being 'chicken feed' given such cut has to take into account implications to the nation's financial stability. 'First and foremost, Singapore has no oil companies. There are no oil wells either. That's why the price is expensive,' Isham who was expelled from UMNO on Dec 7, 2023 for opposing the party's collaborations with DAP in elections schooled PMX on his Facebook page. 'Secondly, while the petrol price in Singapore is four or five times that of our RON95, their per capita earnings is five to six times ours. If we adjust the per capita earnings with purchasing power parity, it is still three times higher than Malaysia. 'As their purchasing power is much higher than ours, it is most insensible of you to lash out at Malaysians by challenging them to buy petrol in Singapore.' The once special officer to incarcerated former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak went on to chide PMX by reminding him that he was the one who previously claimed that oil companies in Malaysia made billions, hence he promised to further lower petrol prices in Malaysia upon assuming the premiership. 'But after 20 years of making promises, oil price only dropped by 6 sen/litre. Podah (literally, 'damn').' Elsewhere, Bersatu information chief Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz warned Malaysians against being overly elated with the RM1.99/litre price tag that was unveiled by PMX as part of his 'extraordinary tribute to Malaysians' package last week. 'Since when has the price of petrol come down? What was announced has not even been implemented yet,' he penned on his Facebook. This is a valid point given even if the RM1.99/litre price tag materialises, not all Malaysians might get to enjoy the six sen/litre discount on grounds that this is part of the fuel subsidy rationalisation exercise that ultimately entails a free float of RON95 (well-to-do motorists may end up having to pay RM2.50-RM2.60/litre). 'With the current fall in world crude oil prices, the fall in the value of the greenback and by using the Rafizi formula, Anwar should have been able to lower the price of RON95 petrol and diesel to RM1.70/litre now instead of end-September,' opined the former press secretary to then communications and multimedia minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa. 'It seems the Turun Anwar rally has had a huge impact on the brains and emotions of PMX, the Madanons, Walanons and most strangely, the UMDAP gang. In fact, the UMDAP gang has been experiencing postpartum blues since last Saturday.' – July 29, 2025
Focus Malaysia
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Focus Malaysia
'Turun Anwar rally is more significant than ICERD protest for it concerns bread and butter, survival matters'
FORMER UMNO supreme council member Isham Jalil seems to have struck the chord with many man-on-the-street Malaysians as he rallied 'original UMNO' members to turn up in full force at the July 26 Turun Anwar gathering in Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur. His killer line that has inadvertently enabled the PAS-initiated rally gained even more momentum was that the issues to be raised at the Turun Anwar rally 'are of the same proportion if not bigger than ICERD' for they revolve around the livelihood and well-being of every ordinary Malaysian. 'At least the issues raised during ICERD only centred on our identity and had no bearing on bread and butter matters such as how to put food on the table,' he articulated with zest in a Facebook video which has since fetched 25K likes, 1.9K comments, 3.2K shares and 435K views. '(The) current leaders couldn't care less, they go overseas negotiate while the country is saddled with billions in debts.' The former UMNO information chief who was fired from the party on Dec 7, 2023 for disagreeing to cooperate with DAP in elections further called on the UMNO grassroots to toughen up in the event UMNO slaps them with disciplinary action. 'If UMNO wants to sack you, so be it as I've long been fired not to mention threatened to be thrown in jail,' he pointed out in a fiery tone. 'Don't tell me you guys are unable to withstand little pain … We should gather in full force … Make it like ICERD when UMNO members gathered in the millions.' Jointly organised by PAS and UMNO, the Dec 8, 2018 ICERD rally was staged to protest against the then Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration's move to ratify the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination as it was alleged such ratification was contrary to the Federal Constitution. Added the once special officer to incarcerated former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak: Therefore, we need to show our utmost dissatisfaction to them with our protest … I know many of you disagree with the UMDAP alliance but are unable to voice your protest for fear of getting sacked from the party. But given that the current situation is one of push comes to shove, don't let hesitation stand in between anymore … Imagine Rafizi (former PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli) who previously bootlicked Anwar has started to oppose his former boss. The time has come to stop pretending to accept the current UMDAP arrangement … Let the UMNO top brass see how they've lost touch with their grassroots. Show them that you're not blindly adhering to their every call especially to participate in by-elections with DAP … There is really no point to convey your protest in silence at coffee shops or over the phone. Show the party leaders your disgruntlement in a big way till their eyes pop out of their heads … No need to wear UMNO shirts, just turn out in full force.' – July 14, 2025 Main image credit: Ustaz Nurul Amin Hamid/Facebook
Focus Malaysia
22-06-2025
- Politics
- Focus Malaysia
UMDAP a figment of opposition's imagination, says UMNO's Asyraf
UMNO Secretary-General Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki has dismissed the opposition's claims of a so-called 'marriage' between UMNO and DAP as baseless propaganda, rejecting the term 'UMDAP' as a fabricated narrative. Asyraf emphasised that UMNO has never been subservient to DAP, asserting that the party remains independent within the Unity Government's 18-party coalition. He noted that the 'UMDAP' label is losing traction, with the public increasingly recognizing it as an opposition tactic to undermine the coalition's unity. 'People no longer talk about UMDAP. They see it as mere opposition propaganda. UMNO is part of an 18-party coalition forming the Unity Government. Why single out DAP when we work with 16 other parties?' he said on the Borak Harini podcast, titled Adakah Lagi UMNO Selepas PRU16? Asyraf explained that the 'UMDAP' narrative gained fleeting relevance during the early stages of the coalition's formation, particularly during the State Elections (PRN), when time constraints limited UMNO's ability to counter the claims. 'Since then, we've secured victories in successive elections, exposing UMDAP as a hollow campaign strategy employed by the opposition,' he added. He further clarified that the term UMDAP holds no legitimacy or positive connotation. 'UMDAP simply doesn't exist. It's not a label that reflects reality or carries any positive meaning,' Asyraf stated. Reaffirming UMNO's distinct identity, he said, UMNO has not merged with DAP, nor has it raised DAP's flag, prayed outside DAP's office, or endorsed DAP's causes. Asyraf challenged the opposition to provide evidence that UMNO has compromised its core policies, particularly those related to Islamic and Bumiputera interests, due to DAP's influence, underscoring UMNO's commitment to its foundational values. —June 22, 2025 Main image: Sinar Daily
Malaysian Reserve
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Malaysian Reserve
Friday Jottings: The importance of being periphery flies
PURSUANT to last week's jottings, despite Umno and Barisan Nasional successfully defending the Ayer Kuning seat, the coalition and party's stalwart Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan seems affected by the opposition's mock of UMDAP – coined for the Umno and DAP collaboration. The UMDAP mock had upset Ahmad because, to him, it conjured the idea that Umno was controlled by the DAP and that the DAP dominated the current Government. Ahmad is yet another Umno leader who had been disturbed by the UMDAP mock for the same reason. The DAP, however, seems unperturbed by it. One of DAP's top leaders, Nga Kor Ming, upped the ante on the mock, making it a battle cry during the Ayer Kuning campaign with several Umno youth members doing the chorus. While Umno interprets the mock as something that hurts their political well-being because it is unacceptable to their members and the bigger body of Malay supporters because it made out that the party is subservient to the DAP and that it is part of a Government dominated by the DAP. On the flip side, going by Nga's enthusiasm, the DAP thrives on the mock. It is doubtful, given DAP's political prowess, that it is unaware of what bothered Umno and the hurt the UMDAP label impacted the Malay-based party. Simply put, it can be deduced that what pained Umno, is DAP's gain. It can then be further deduced that for the DAP, Umno's interpretation of the UMDAP label, suits its political well-being and that its members and supporters are comfortable, if not gleeful, over it. Ahmad is trying to get Umno branches, which are holding their meetings nationwide, to debunk the narrative that the DAP dominates the Government as well as controlling Umno. His logic is that the current Government is formed by a coalition of 18 parties and not merely Umno and the DAP. Ahmad pointed out that the two parties combined would only have a total of 70 parliamentary seats, far from the required 112 simple majority to form the Government. The is logical and yet, politics is not merely about numbers. In most times, perceptions, history and context play a bigger role in forming public opinion. In these aspects, Umno and Ahmad have their work cut out for them. Perceptions that the DAP, given its superior numbers compared with most of the other partners in the coalition, Umno included, is a dominant, if not the dominant, force in the present Government is quite entrenched. Lest Ahmad forgets that the fall of the first Pakatan Harapan Government in 2020 was due to Umno and other Malay parties involved in the Sheraton Move being unable to accept the DAP in the administration. Again, lest Ahmad forget, Umno and BN's campaign in the last general election was premised on 'No DAP, No Anwar (Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim)'. In fact, the 'no DAP' was central in Umno and BN's campaign and the ground for such rejection of the DAP is based on the narrative that it is a chauvinist party out to dismantle the special position and privileges accorded to the Malays and Bumiputras. It is a narrative that is accepted by Umno members. It is further accepted by the bigger body of Malay/Bumiputera voters and the 15th general election saw the Malay-dominated Perikatan Nasional securing some 60 percent of the Malay/Bumiputra votes while the PH only managed 11 percent, with the rest going to Umno/BN. In simple maths, almost 90 percent of the Malay/Bumiputra votes rejected the DAP and PH. So today, Umno/BN has taken its 30 per cent Malay/Bumiputra votes to the PH and DAP, but that too, based on several analyses, is eroding hence the discomfort felt by Ahmad and other Umno leaders despite the win in Ayer Kuning. The equation is simple. What Umno/BN has brought to the table is some of the Malay/Bumiputra votes that are still with them. Then, add that with the 11 per cent that PH may still command from the last polls and combined with the still loyal and solid non-Malay votes of the DAP and PH; the collaboration becomes formidable in mixed seats of those with marginal Malay/Bumiputra majority seats. But most Malays realise that Umno/BN are merely an addendum to the PH coalition apart from the fact that they came together as a post-electoral pact, not much different than how they perceive Malay leaders in the DAP as being tokens, brought in simply to win over the Malay votes. These narratives were Umno's before the collaboration with DAP and PH was formed, and it is something that the Malay had taken to heart. Given Umno's scandalous and weak leadership, it is difficult for any Malays to believe that they would be able to stand up to the DAP. Attempts by the likes of its youth chief, Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh, to stand up to what is perceived as insults by the non-Malays, including that from the DAP, had been summarily neutered. For that matter, Dr Akmal, who earlier had built quite a reputation among the Malays, even those outside of Umno, to be the defender of Malay interest, is now slowly being dismissed as a pestering pest. Lest Ahmad forgets, he should be reminded of the recent local lore of the fly and the lion, in which Dr Akmal was unceremoniously flattened. Ironically, it was Nga of the DAP, who swiped the swat. Shamsul Akmar is an editor at The Malaysian Reserve.
Focus Malaysia
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Focus Malaysia
Reject PN's divisive UMDAP narrative, says Johari
UMNO vice-president and Titiwangsa MP Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani has urged Malaysians to reject the divisive 'UMDAP' narrative spread by Perikatan Nasional (PN) to maintain racial harmony. 'Their (PN's) talk about UMDAP… just ignore it because Malaysia is a plural society. We have lived together since independence in 1957, with the Malays, Chinese, Indians, and our friends in Sabah and Sarawak. 'This is the DNA of our country. This DNA allows us to share and live together as a society we call Malaysians,' he said. He emphasised that Malaysia's multiracial society, coexisting since independence in 1957, is the nation's strength and a global model for unity. Johari highlighted that Barisan Nasional focuses on constructive campaigning, not conflict, and promotes service-orientated politics over hostility. 'Different races and religions, yet we have managed to build this country into one that is highly respected worldwide. Mention Malaysia abroad, and everyone respects us. 'They know that despite our diverse population, unlike countries with a single race making up 99%, we can coexist as multiple races, maintain harmony, and develop the nation so that everyone benefits from political stability,' he added. He noted that the unity government, formed post-2018, unites parties to prioritise national development and peace, encouraging a political culture of cooperation and mutual respect that could shape future generations. — April 26, 2025 Main photo credit: NST
