Najib: Prepare for bruising GE

KUALA LUMPUR - It was a sober speech that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak delivered when opening his party's last general assembly before it faces what is expected to be a bruising 13th General Election.

He called his party members to galvanise their best efforts to ensure the BN achieves victory and to pray hard to God that when they assemble in the Dewan Merdeka next year it is to spearhead plans for the future development of the country.

“Therefore let’s pray so that with His blessings we will continue once again to be the country’s ruling party and to be able to welcome 2020, our vision,” he told the gathering of 2,722 delegates.

Najib also appealed to the people of Malaysia to support the BN, the coalition which Umno leads, so that it will continue to fashion the landscape of a future Malaysia, a future that we will be leaving to our children.

For the voters it is a choice between a developed Malaysia riding on common values or a backward one divided by an invisible wall tarnished by suspicion and prejudice, he said.

"On the other end there is a crooked road that is dark and built on slander, deceit and empty promises, and if the people fall for this, believe me, this harmonious country will be crushed, disintegrate and sink," he said.

Najib said Umno will not allow this to continue.

“We can replace treasures or honour that are lost, but if we lose this fight, we will be left with nothing. We will be left to suffer in our own land,” he said.

Najib also apologised for the wrongdoings of his party and the other parties in the coalition and the government.

"As Umno president, together with my deputy and other party leaders we pledge in the name of Allah and His Prophet to continue putting the welfare of the people first, uphold the interest of the Malay race, and protect Islam," Najib said.

"We believe all Malaysians deserve a good government that only Umno and Barisan Nasional is capable of offering," he said.

Najib said that Umno and the BN can still carry the day in the coming general election, citing the Badar war in Islamic history where the ill-equipped Muslim force emerged victorious against a much larger and better equipped enemy.

They managed to do so because of their discipline, something which they lacked earlier causing them to lose the battle of Uhud.

In the context of Umno, Najib said "discipline" among members must translate into the willingness to put the party's interest above individual agendas.

"Discipline in a congregation demands that we remain open hearted and willing to accept decisions made by party leaders.

"Most importantly, once a final decision has been made … execute the decisions accordingly," he said.

-thesundaily