UMNO Must Collaborate With Other Parties To Remain Effective - Mohamed Khaled

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24  (Bernama) -- UMNO must collaborate with other parties, as it no longer has the strength to rule alone, said Vice-President Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.

He said UMNO can no longer compel various parties to join Barisan Nasional (BN) as a component, but it can still work effectively with others.

"UMNO must foster friendships, be open and share power to ensure Malaysia’s success. Embracing political diversity and moderation should remain our core strength and principle. We must operate based on the political reality of pluralism," he said during his closing speech at the 2024 UMNO General Assembly.

In addition, Mohamed  Khaled, who is also the Defence Minister said using race and religion as political tools is outdated.

“We seek Malays who are not only wise but also pioneers of a new revolution in advancing Malaysia's industry, digital landscape and economy. As such, our efforts should focus on elevating the knowledge, skills and competitiveness of the Malay community and this agenda must be pursued with sincerity," he said.

Meanwhile, Vice-President Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani stressed that the party must recognise its current need for Malay support, rather than assuming the reverse.

He cited the results of recent state elections as evidence, where the party suffered significant defeats in Malay-majority areas.

"In Kelantan, we won only two out of 45  state seats. In Terengganu, Kedah and Perlis, we won none. In Selangor, we secured just two out of 56 seats. These are all Malay-majority areas. If UMNO truly had the backing of the Malays, how could we perform so poorly?" he questioned in his closing speech

Johari also called for UMNO to adopt a more dynamic approach in regaining Malay support and highlighted the party’s responsibility to enhance Bumiputera participation in micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

He noted that of the 354,000 Bumiputera-owned MSMEs, 83 per cent are micro businesses and urged  UMNO to focus on elevating their capabilities to a higher level.

"They need strong policies that empower them to become high-caliber entrepreneurs with growth opportunities," said the Plantation and Commodities Minister.

Vice-President Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail, in his closing speech, urged party members and leaders to clear up the confusion among Malays regarding the relationship between UMNO and religion.

"Our opponents are so extreme that they pray for our downfall, even using religious rites like talkin as satire to imply UMNO is dead. They’ll resort to anything for politics, swearing, gossiping, defamation and lies are all normalised in their campaigns. It’s our duty to correct this," he said.

Wan Rosdy, who is also the Pahang Menteri Besar  recommended that UMNO set up secretariats or regional units in each state. This is important since many voters no longer reside in their hometowns or the areas where they vote.

The 2024 UMNO General Assembly at the Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre which ran from Wednesday to today was attended by 6,433 delegates.

-- BERNAMA