Akmal must also target PN, not just DAP, say Umno delegates

Two division leaders say PN competes for the same voters as Umno, while excessive rhetoric against DAP could backfire.

Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh had announced his resignation as a Melaka executive councillor to ‘fight DAP to the end’.

KUALA LUMPUR:

 Two Umno division leaders believe that Dr Akmal Saleh is misdirecting his focus by making DAP his main enemy, saying it does not reflect the political realities Umno faces in the 16th general election (GE16).

The delegates at the Umno general assembly said the Umno Youth chief should focus more on helping the party win Malay-majority seats, most of which are currently held by Perikatan Nasional.

One delegate from Perak, who asked to remain anonymous, admitted that Umno’s longtime rivalry with DAP may have led Akmal to train his guns on the Pakatan Harapan party.

However, he said DAP primarily focused on mixed, urban seats and the non-Malay electorate.

“Akmal’s attacks and labelling of DAP as Umno’s enemy are misguided. In the election arena, it’s PN and PKR who compete for the same voters as us.

“This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be critical of DAP. We know many of their policies do not align with Umno. But in terms of election strategy, we cannot say that DAP is our main enemy,” he told FMT when met on the sidelines of the Umno general assembly.

Another division leader from Pahang said Umno needed to maintain its cooperation with DAP to bolster its position, especially since PN aims to capture the state.

“In Pahang, our obvious enemy is PN. They want to take over this state.

“So we cannot say that DAP is Umno’s enemy because that will scare off non-Malay voters. It could even cause Malay voters to switch support,” he said, adding that excessive rhetoric against DAP could backfire on Umno.

“When we build a narrative, we have to ensure it doesn’t backfire on us.”

In his policy speech at Umno Youth’s convention, Akmal announced his resignation as a Melaka executive councillor to “fight DAP to the end”.

He had previously urged Umno to withdraw from the unity government and revive its Muafakat Nasional pact with PAS.

However, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the party will continue supporting Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim until the end of the government’s term.  - FMT