Opposition ran smart campaign against BN
Umno man lauds Pakatan Rakyat’s campaign against Umno-BN as “very smart” and “very successful”.
(FMT) – “With a very heavy heart, I have to say that it (Pakatan’s campaign) has been successful. It is a very smart campaign. Now BN looks like a Malay party,” Saifuddin told FMT in an exclusive interview.
PETALING JAYA: Umno’s Saifuddin Abdullah has praised Pakatan Rakyat’s campaign against ruling coalition Barisan Nasional as “very smart” and “very successful”.
The former Temerloh MP credited the opposition’s success on their campaign against Umno, “and not the Malays”, which gave rise to the movement Asalkan Bukan Umno (ABU) – Anything But Umno.
“With a very heavy heart, I have to say that it (Pakatan’s campaign) has been successful. It is a very smart campaign. Now BN looks like a Malay party,” Saifuddin told FMT in an exclusive interview.
“So I feel there must be changes starting from structural changes in BN,” he added.
Saifuddin said there was a need for a new platform in BN for direct membership, where “youths regardless of race can be a member of BN without having to join a component party”.
“At the same time, we must assist MCA and the others. Umno as leader of the coalition has to be moderate now and help component parties that are in trouble,” he said.
However, he stressed that Umno would not interfere in party matters but “whatever assistance must be given” when required.
“Umno must take that leadership. If MCA is weak, ABU will be more potent on the next round,” he said.
“Strong Umno is good but weak component parties will make BN look bad and we cannot go to the next election like that,” he added.
