Azalina defends Zahid, says Umno must change

 

Another senior Umno leader has come forward to defend BN chairperson Ahmad Zahid Hamidi against internal calls for his resignation following the coalition's worst electoral performance in the recent six state elections.

Umno information chief Azalina Othman Said noted that while it is easy to point fingers at Zahid for BN's losses, there are institutional changes that must be made for the coalition's future.

"What we need to change is not the (Umno) president (Zahid) but the way in which we work and mobilise our campaigns," said the Pengerang MP.

Azalina said BN has so far lagged when faced with "psychological warfares" on various digital platforms, a departure from traditional campaigns through physical ceramah or face-to-face engagements.

"BN must understand and concede that we are facing a knowledge deficit and mastery of digital platforms, at a time when our opponents are spending without limits on the same platforms to influence votes.

"We have no rules or laws that can restrict the opponents' propaganda without limits, shared with a large amount on funds on digital platforms, because the platform providers are based overseas," said the minister in the prime minister's department in charge of legal and institutional reforms.

Umno information chief Azalina Othman Said

Moving forward, Azalina said BN must be ready to transform into a party that is more technologically savvy, and the government as a whole must also be more prepared with tactics to fight the online psychological warfares.

At the same time, she said she had since the recent state elections also taken into account views and advice from both within and outside of Umno, reflecting on the party's performance to win only 19 out of 108 seats it contested for in the six states.

"In an election, losing by just one vote is still considered a loss. Winning by one vote is still a victory."

Citing an example of a contest for the post of Parent-Teacher Association chairperson, she said "if we lost, let us not burn down the school".

BN chairperson Ahmad Zahid Hamidi

In her call for collective responsibility, Azalina noted there were no objections raised when BN announced its decision to field 108 candidates in the six states, rather than focus on fewer but easier seats to win.

"In fact, there were those who said the number (108) is not enough. But today there are cynical voices when we lost seats.

"Those voices were not heard when the candidates were announced. The BN chairperson had given freedom to state chiefs and division chiefs in proposing eligible candidates.

"That's why I said it's a collective responsibility," she said.

After getting totally wiped out in Terengganu and Kedah, as well as suffering huge losses in Selangor, Penang, and Kelantan, voices from within the party believe it is time for Umno to have a change of leadership.

Amid louder calls for him to step down, Zahid has since vowed to march on and "do more" to help the party regain confidence.

Zahid at the time referred to Umno vice-president Johari Abdul Ghani, who said all Umno leaders must take responsibility for the party’s poor results in the six state elections. - Mkini