Umno did ‘soul-searching’ after 2008
How can the opposition confidently speak of wresting Putrajaya when they can’t even form a shadow cabinet, asks premier Najib Tun Razak.
(Free Malaysia Today) – Barisan Nasional (BN) chief Najib Tun Razak said the ruling coalition is centred on reality and actuality.
The prime minister said the ties that bind the coalition were based on BN’s compatibility, philosophy and practice.
“We don’t engage in play-acting with the people. One of the biggest theatrics of the opposition is their inability to form a shadow cabinet even though they have been talking about creating a two-party system in the country, but they have failed to present a shadow cabinet to the people.
“So if they fail to do so when they are the opposition at the national level, how can they become confident that they can wrest Putrajaya and rule the country successfully?” he told Umno-Online in an exclusive interview.
Najib, who is also Umno president, said Umno had never been an extreme party despite championing the interest of the Malays and was always tolerant and inclusive towards other races.
“That is why we have been successful in the past 12 elections. Although we experienced what is described as the political tsunami of 2008, we learned and we realised that if we have committed a mistake we should own up to it, meaning we should do a soul-searching, and this we did.
“We should also be brave in instituting changes in the party; and the government does this by presenting its transformation plans to the people and now, we are entering a stage where we should convince the people about all the transformation initiatives which we have implemented and which we are implementing.
“Meaning, our ability to communicate effectively with the people, so that they are able to see that our national transformation agenda is the best for them and for the future of our country,” he said.
More favouring BN-Umno
Najib said he could see a wind of change in favour of Umno and BN, including in the opposition-led states and hoped the momentum could be intensified.
“Let’s not take for granted that victory is in our hands, this is a no-no. In our minds, we should have the attitude that there is always something that we can do.
“We should adopt the attitude that ‘I can still do a lot more as long as it is not yet the polling day, and I can still contribute and that I must look at all angles’. All Umno leaders must have this kind of attitude,” he said.
BN members should intensify their effort to explain to the people that the opposition has no capability to administer the country and the states, contrary to what they had been claiming, he said.
“All the promises they make will be left unfulfilled. This is what the Umno machinery should impress upon the people so that in the end they will be able to judge who is right or wrong,” he said.
He said BN members cannot adopt a “business as usual” attitude, especially in the opposition-led states, and they must do something extraordinary in terms of their strategy, commitment, planning and role in the online social media.
“If we want to topple the opposition-led governments in these states, we must strive more than usual. This is my message. We must unite more than usual, only then can we have a better chance of winning,” he said.
Asked about public acceptance of the BR1M aid, he believed the people responded well and positively to it based on the mood shown during his walkabouts and the meet-the-people programmes.
