Many want to join Umno due to Harapan's 'U-turns', claims Youth chief

 Youth chief Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki has claimed that many youths have expressed interest in joining Umno, after losing faith in Pakatan Harapan.

"We receive so many membership applications, especially from the youth.

"I think it is due to Harapan's many 'U-turns', that many want to be members of Umno," Asyraf told a press conference at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), today.

According to him, the Umno Youth wing has launched a mass nationwide campaign to register youths as members, as well as getting them to be registered as voters.

Acting Umno president Mohamad Hasan will also be launching an online registration system for Umno membership soon, he added.

Currently, the number of Umno Youth members stands at about 498,391 nationwide, he noted.

"We don't have the exact number, but the latest statistics stand at 498,391 members," he said.

Asyraf further noted that Umno Youth will be based in the state constituency of Rantau, which faces a by-election on April 13, for two weeks.

"We will 'camp out' in Rantau for 14 days, as we did in Cameron Highlands and Semenyih.

"We will focus on 'man-to-man marking', which means we will go to every house and approach everyone (in the constituency)," he said.

Umno Youth will also work closely with MCA and MIC to organise joint programmes, he added.

"We want to promote the contribution of Tok Mat (Mohamad) to the people of Rantau.

"We have also unanimously agreed to not react against any act of provocation, which cropped up in Semenyih."

The by-election was called following a decision by the Election Court to void Mohamad's Rantau state seat win in the 14th general election.

This was after the returning officer had prevented Harapan candidate Dr S Streram from entering the nomination centre to file his papers, resulting in a walkover for Mohamad.

Mohamad will be contending against Streram again in the by-election. - Mkini