Umno Youth must become main unifying force for Malays, says leader

Kapar chief Affifi Aris says the wing cannot rely on figures like Dr Mahathir Mohamad to achieve this goal.

Kapar Umno Youth chief Affifi Aris warned delegates not to let the party’s 1988 crisis, which saw members divided between Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s ‘Team A’ and Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah’s ‘Team B’, repeat itself.

KUALA LUMPUR:

 Umno Youth must step up and become the main unifying force for Malays without relying on other parties, says the wing’s Kapar chief Affifi Aris.

Speaking at the Umno Youth assembly today, he said Umno could not rely on certain individuals attempting to speak for all Malays, referring to former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad who launched a “Malay secretariat committee” in June last year.

Affifi said Mahathir needed to rest and recover from his recent injury. “Let Umno Youth take on the task of providing a platform for Malays to unite.”

He warned delegates not to let the party’s 1988 crisis, which saw members divided between Mahathir’s “Team A” and Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah’s “Team B”, repeat itself.

He also called on everyone who had previously lost in elections or found themselves separated from the party to return and strengthen it for the coming general election.

Affifi particularly welcomed former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin’s attendance at the general assembly today following youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh’s invitation.

Khairy, who was sacked from Umno in January 2023 for breaching party discipline during the 15th general election, was visibly emotional as he received a rapturous welcome at the Umno Youth general assembly this morning.

When asked if his attendance today meant he was returning to Umno, Khairy only said that he would “do what needs to be done”. - FMT