It won’t be long before the battle starts
The assembly set the stage with a spirited call to restore Umno’s pride and glory
THE true success of Umno’s general assembly will be known in the coming weeks. Once the lights are dimmed and the doors to Dewan Merdeka are shut, delegates would make their way to their hometowns with thoughts of their own.
There is much to chew on. Plenty of take-away messages, pledges to fulfil and some delegates have their own soul searching to do, too.
Indeed, this has been a different general assembly.
With the 13th general election expected next year, the just-concluded assembly could very well be the last gathering for delegates.
After all, the fiery speeches have been made and heard, it’s now time to deliver. There’s a potentially bruising battle ahead. No one but Datuk Seri Najib Razak knows when this battle will be.
As Umno president and prime minister, Najib’s task is to rally the troops. And this he did in his closing speech at the assembly. Najib’s deputy, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, did his part, too, knowing that all eyes are on them to show the way ahead.
Everyone was waiting to hear Najib’s speech — the general’s orders, so to speak.
Puteri chief Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin set the stage with a spirited call that the movement will not shirk its responsibilities to help restore Umno’s pride and glory.
Rosnah’s firm and confident delivery received a rousing response from delegates, who gave an equally loud endorsement to Youth leader Khairy Jamaluddin.
Apart from winnable candidates, Khairy spoke of a winning machinery. When a winnable candidate met a winning machinery, victory could be assured, the young man said.
This has been a different assembly from previous years. It was well organised. In fact, to some delegates, members and observers, it was too organised.
Entry into the main hall wasn’t easy. One required a smart card to get in, apart from the usual identification tag issued by party headquarters.
While this is certainly good, it had discouraged observers to join in on the last day. In previous years, there was standing room only as everyone packed the hall to hear the closing speeches.
This time, there was no food stalls in the five-foot ways, a feature that added colour and lent a busy atmosphere at the party headquarters.
After all, the assembly was held only once a year and party members wanted to be together and show their solidarity with party leaders, as one supreme council member said over tea.
Friendship and solidarity was also cemented in food stalls in five-foot ways as much as in Dewan Merdeka, a delegate from Malacca said.
This notwithstanding, delegates were generally pleased with the messages from Najib. They remember the war cry as the party prepares for the general election. They had wanted to hear a speech to complete the one he gave on the opening day.
Najib saved his best for last, and his loyal followers were not disappointed.
This has not been an easy assembly for everyone. There’s a sense of great expectation, one that everyone in expected to share and deliver.
What next, I asked a young delegate as we walked out from the main hall. “We wait. It won’t be long now,” the Perakian said.
