Umno’s survival hinges on non-Malay support too, says Tok Mat

 

Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan says the party must capture the imagination of Malays and non-Malays alike, and be accepted by all.

PETALING JAYA: Umno’s survival hinges on its ability to win the support of non-Malays, the party’s deputy president Mohamad Hasan said.

“Malay votes alone aren’t enough to form a government, let alone a stable government,” he said in a speech at the party’s annual general assembly today.

He said the reality was that Umno could not rely on its allies alone to secure the support of non-Malays.

“Umno must have its own strategy: that Umno is moderate, that it is not extreme, that it celebrates diversity and can ensure stability.

“This is what Umno offered to non-Malays under the leadership of Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Abdul Razak (Hussein), Tun Dr Ismail (Abdul Rahman), Tun Hussein Onn until Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s era. A nationalist party with a diverse and fair image.”

He said it was not enough for Barisan Nasional to field non-Malay candidates or repeat narratives that Umno and Barisan Nasional were moderate and inclusive.

Mohamad, commonly known as Tok Mat, said the challenge was in managing the prejudice against Umno.

“Malays are a race that celebrate diversity. We are firm but open; polite and gentle but not to be mistreated. That is the true Malay outlook on ties with other races.”

Mohamad also said Umno must work towards winning the support of urban Malays and not rely only on its “hardcore” supporters in rural areas.

“The reality is that our hardcore supporters are shrinking because of migration to cities and modernisation in rural areas. Umno’s source of strength must go beyond the Malay heartlands.”

He also said Umno needed to present a “concrete vision” for Malaysia and not just a manifesto in the next general election (GE15).

This vision, he said must capture the imagination of Malays and non-Malays alike, and be accepted by all.

“This is something I call ‘A Common Agenda for a Common Future’,” he said, adding this vision would detail how the party would restore the economy and pursue political and institutional reforms.

Mohamad said such an agenda would also determine which parties it would work with after the next general election.

“To form a strong government, it must be based on a common agenda. It must be agenda-based and not partnership-based,” he said, adding the country must move beyond cosmetic alliances of political parties. - FMT