Azalina calls for redoubling of efforts, focus on realising unity aspiration

 Umno information chief Azalina Othman Said said there is no need to point fingers, but rather, the focus should be on the redoubling of efforts to win over the rakyat based on the unity aspiration.

She said the unity alliance managed to successfully retain Selangor, Penang, and Negeri Sembilan, this time with the inclusion of BN.

"We (Umno) would like to thank the voters who gave their support to the unity aspiration as well as trusting this alliance to form the government in the three states.

"At the same time, we will also take into account all feedback for BN to improve its performance, approach, and implementation of services for the people throughout the country," he said in a statement yesterday.

Azalina also agreed that the government should review and improve in terms of the selection of candidates, machinery, manifestos, policies, and campaign agenda ahead of the 16th general election.

She said the longer timeframe until the next polls would ensure that the alignment and understanding at the grassroots level could be effectively forged.

According to her, facing the state elections in a relatively short period of eight months since the formation of the BN-Pakatan Harapan alliance after spending decades as political rivals was an important first test, but it was overcome well by the pact.

This, she said, was reinforced by the fact that the unity alliance managed to garner 49.58 percent or 3,399,472 of the votes in all six states compared to Perikatan Nasional, which got 17,000 fewer votes at 3,382,455 (49.33 percent).

Azalina added that the cooperation was made possible as the unity aspiration was formed to uphold the wishes of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to put the people and country first.

- Bernama