Once again in Umno, Khairy Jamaluddin today said while the party has an uphill task to recapture public support, it remains in a better place compared to some rivals, such as Bersatu and partner PKR, which have suffered massive schisms.
Speaking to reporters after attending Umno’s 80th anniversary celebration, the former minister noted there have been very few criticisms towards Umno ministers and deputy ministers in the present administration.
“I think Umno ministers have done reasonably well; they’ve not gotten into any huge scandal or underperformed,” he said.
Khairy also cited Umno vice-president and Pahang Menteri Besar Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail’s speech that credited the state’s achievements, as well as those of other Umno-led states.
“I thought Wan Rosdy’s speech was quite good.
“He was comparing the Umno-led state governments with other state governments, and he clearly painted a picture that was quite favourable for Johor, Malacca, Pahang, and Perak,” he said.
“So I think these are quite compelling examples of the experience, of the ability to stay internally strong, and of leaders or states which are doing quite well,” he added.
Earlier, Umno members gathered at Dewan Merdeka in the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur, where party leaders moved to strengthen the party’s “Rumah Bangsa” vision, as designed by party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Zahid laid the first foundation during the party’s annual general assembly earlier this year by opening the door for the return of former and estranged Umno members.
Acknowledging mistakes
Commenting further, Khairy said he also concurred with Umno vice-president Johari Abdul Ghani’s sentiment that the party has never truly recovered from mistakes which were said to result in past losses.
“To some extent, yes. I think that we still have an uphill task in trying to recover public support.
“But I think that’s why when the president said we both have our shortcomings or mistakes in the past, that was just an example to the bigger title of our strategy, which is to acknowledge previous mistakes.
“He used himself and myself as an example, but I think underneath that he also perhaps indirectly meant that it’s not just individuals.
“Collectively, as a party, we should acknowledge that we’ve made mistakes in the past, but at the same time, we’ve done more good for the country compared to the mistakes that we’ve made,” said Khairy.
Moving forward, he said that acknowledging mistakes is the first step in reintroducing Umno to swing voters or the middle ground it previously lost, ahead of the upcoming elections.
He also reiterated a common theme addressed by party leaders today that Umno should no longer reminisce on the past, but embrace new strengths and rebuild through the Rumah Bangsa platform.
According to Khairy, among the factors contributing to the momentum for Umno’s growth would be the recent registration of about 13,000 new members, with the majority being in Umno Youth.
This morning, Umno secretary-general Ashraf Wajdi Dusuki said Umno Youth recorded the highest number of new members with 8,233 applications since April 20. - Mkini
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