We need surveys to gauge Malay voter sentiment, says Umno leader

Umno Supreme Council member Ahmad Maslan says many still find it difficult to accept the party's alliance with DAP in the unity government.

Umno Supreme Council member Ahmad Maslan said failure to gauge voter sentiment can impact Umno, as seen in the party’s poor showing in the recent Sabah polls. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LUMPUR:

 Umno leader Ahmad Maslan has suggested that the party conduct surveys once every three months to gauge sentiment among Malay voters over their support for the party and resentment towards DAP.

Ahmad said such surveys were crucial as Malays and the party grassroots still had a hard time accepting Umno’s alliance with DAP, although it has been three years since the once bitter rivals joined forces as part of the unity government.

The Umno Supreme Council member said the survey could provide the party with a clearer picture of the relationship between the two parties.

“Malays still despise DAP but have no issue with the unity government, so it is not impossible for government initiatives to lessen that animosity.

“But if Malays still reject Umno because of its alliance with DAP, then the party must make an important decision before the next general election,” he told FMT

Ahmad said these surveys were even more urgent given the changing political landscape and that optics was becoming a factor in wooing voters.

He said failure to gauge such sentiments could impact the party, as seen in Umno’s performance in the recent Sabah state election, which he attributed to an inability to “read the mood” on the ground.

Umno suffered major losses in the November polls when it won just four seats.

On Jan 16, Umno secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said the state election exposed a wide disconnect between the number of Umno members in Sabah and the number of votes the party actually received.

Asyraf said Umno had more than 622,637 members in the state but ended up securing only 144,584 votes, or just over 23% support, from them. - FMT