Analyst praises Johari’s candour, urges Umno to move past nostalgia

 Awang Azman Pawi says better self-awareness would allow Umno to craft narratives centred on reform, rather than rely on mere rhetoric.

On Saturday, Umno vice-president Johari Ghani cautioned party members against the misguided belief it still commands absolute power, saying the party has yet to fully restore its battered image. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA:

 An analyst has praised Umno’s willingness to confront hard truths, following a senior leader’s candid admission of the party’s diminished dominance in Malaysian politics.

Awang Azman Pawi of Universiti Malaya said Umno must move beyond nostalgia to ensure its long-term survival in national politics.

He said Umno vice-president Johari Ghani’s remarks proved the party was capable of being “honest with itself”, a trait that would allow it to reassess current political realities more objectively.

“An Umno that does not have the courage to admit to its weaknesses, including the trust deficit it suffers among the public, risks drawing up strategies based on misconceptions.

Awang Azman Pawi.

“Political parties that are introspective are more willing to adapt to economic, social and geopolitical changes. An introspective Umno means it is willing to learn to remain relevant,” he told FMT.

Awang Azman said self-awareness would help Umno craft narratives centred on reform, adding that such messaging would be far more effective in winning over the electorate than a reliance on mere rhetoric.

He said many political parties have failed mainly because they refuse to change.

Introspection would allow Umno to reassess how it selects its leadership and refine the approach it adopts to engage voters, he added.

“It will allow Umno to shift from a party that practices political patronage to one that is idea- and performance-based.”

Awang Azman said a political party that is honest with itself would gain a clearer understanding of its strengths and weaknesses, and would know when compromise is necessary.

Without introspection, a party risked being trapped between the wants of the grassroots and the realities, resulting in mixed messaging, he said.

In his speech at Umno’s 80th-anniversary convention last Saturday, Johari urged party leaders to bear in mind that it only has 26 seats in the Dewan Rakyat.

He said many of the speeches that preceded his appeared to be premised on the misguided belief that the party was still in a position of absolute power.

The Titiwangsa MP said Umno must also accept that Malay voters now have a variety of choices, and that the party’s battered image and integrity have yet to be fully restored.

Mazlan Ali of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia said that the current political landscape has changed drastically over the last 30 years, and that every single party now has the chance to be in government.

Mazlan Ali.

Umno cannot afford complacency, he said, adding that this was the point Johari was attempting to get across in his speech.

Mazlan suggested that Umno study data from recent by-elections and state polls to gain a clearer grasp of current political realities.

“People who delve into nostalgia are those who don’t do research, but corporate figures like Johari tend to understand facts.” - FMT