Umno to launch massive movement to strengthen machinery
(Bernama) MUAR: Umno will launch a massive movement soon to strengthen its machinery and bring back the fighting spirit among members as part of the preparation to face the coming general election.
Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is Umno deputy president, said the effort to strengthen the party should start now and not wait until the next election, which must be held by 2013.
"I've asked Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to start the training programmes and courses to strengthen party machinery and restore the fighting spirit among members," he said at the simultaneous opening of Pagoh Umno branch meetings here yesterday.
Muhyiddin said the training modules would cover aspects like strengthening the party's machinery and spirit of camaraderie.
The massive programme would involve all party wings, said Muhyiddin who is also Pagoh member of parliament.
Muhyiddin said Umno members needed to strengthen their resolve and fighting spirit so that they would be able to face the various challenges that cropped up in the aftermath of last year's general election.
He said the opposition pact had never ceased to attack the Barisan Nasional even after the election was long over.
"The opposition has been cooking up all kind of stories and twisting facts about Umno and in the process, managed to influence many people including from among the Malays," he said.
The Umno machinery, however, failed to parry the attack, resulting in many people believing the stories spread by the opposition, he said.
Umno should also institute changes and should now approach other races as well, along with the Malays, and help resolve their problems, he said.
"If previously the problems faced by the Malays are taken care of only by Umno, the Chinese by MCA and Indians by MIC, this should no longer be the case.
"Umno should change… the problems faced by other races are also Umno's problems," he said.
He said Umno was now undergoing a critical period that required it to change or perish.
The change should involve the grassroots and required members to reflect on the mistakes done and find ways to correct them, he added.
He said party members should convey to party leaders the true picture of the situation and not hide any mistakes from them.
