Leaders say Umno won't go for '1Melayu'

Despite calls for the rejection of '1Malaysia', Umno's national leaders say the party will not turn its back on this strategy in the next general election. 

While they appreciate the views of the delegates as expressed at the general assembly, they disagree that Umno should just concentrate on Malay support and as it "still needs support from everybody". 

This is despite the failure of the 1Malaysia call to garner the support of the non-Malays, especially the Chinese, as pointed out by delegates when debating the president's address yesterday. 

"This is the Umno general assembly and the delegates have their views, but you must look at Umno as a whole. 

"Even at the DAP's assembly, you have some views that are very racist but we understand...You must look at Umno as a whole. As the backbone of BN, we are 1Malaysia," Wanita chief Shahrizat Abdul Jalil (above, right)said today.

She said that the delegates were just venting their frustrations, but Umno has "its own vision under (Umno president Najib Abdul Razak), which is 1Malaysia". 

Yesterday, Kedah delegate Tajul Urus Mat Zain said Umno should review the "failed" 1Malaysia approach while Penang delegate Musa Sheikh Fadzir (left) said the greeting 'Salam 1Malaysia' should be replaced with 'Salam 1Melayu'. 

The rejection of Umno/BN by the Chinese community was a running theme in the debates, with some delegates asking BN component parties to own up to their failure to keep their end of the bargain. 

'1Melayu' and '1Malaysia' can go together

Agreeing with Shahrizat, party vice-president Shafie Apdal said enhancing Malay unity could go together with 1Malaysia and that it will continue to be employed in the 14th general election. 

"Well, you need support from everybody... While we want to unite Malays under Umno, we cannot forget the Chinese and Indians. 

"Malay unity is not a racist thing. It has been Umno's slogan since the 1940s. There is nothing wrong. Helping the Malays is not seen as racist, helping the Kadazan is racist, it's not right," Shafie said. 

Fellow Sabah native and supreme council member Bung Mokhtar Radin said replacing 1Malaysia with 1Melayu was "unsuitable in the national context as (Umno) is sharing power with other races". 

"1Malaysia is still relevant. Yes, it did not win Chinese votes but it forms a national identity. 

"Umno will never leave other races behind. (Component parties) MCA and MIC cannot just be brushed aside, as they too fought very hard (in the elections)," Bung Mokhtar said. 

Meanwhile, Kedah Umno liaison chief Mukhriz Mahathir (above, left) said the idea of dumping 1Malaysia was just assembly talk.

"Maybe (1Melayu) works in the context of the Umno assembly but in the context of Malaysia, we stay true to 1Malaysia. 

"This is the prime minister's brainchild and it is something we follow," Mukhriz said.