Umno to be more Malay-centric

Call it the Chinese tsunami or whatever, the fact remains that rural Malays are still with Umno while the urban Malays have swung to the opposition — PAS and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).

(MM) – Umno concluded its annual general assembly on Saturday on a high note, pledging to transform itself into a political party that is fair to all Malaysians but with priority to empowering the economy of the Malays and Bumiputeras who form over 67 per cent of the population.

The emphasis will be to ensure economic parity so that no race will feel left out of the economic development of the country.

The party pledged other races would not be sidelined and that Umno would continue its fair and just policies for all Malaysians.

In facing the next general election, the party’s political transformation will begin at branch level, where with immediate effect, the branches will have to follow the party constitution strictly to strengthen themselves.

Party president Datuk Seri Najib Razak said transformation begins with change in thoughts and attitudes of party members and stressed on the need for the party to be strong from the grassroots — where the 21,000 branches are.

The political reality now is Umno is the only flag-bearer of the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) besides Parti Pesaka Bersatu Sarawak (PBB) in Sarawak while the component parties in the peninsula are still “searching their souls” after taking a beating in the May 5 general election.

Call it the Chinese tsunami or whatever, the fact remains that rural Malays are still with Umno while the urban Malays have swung to the opposition — PAS and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).

With Umno the only party still strong and standing upright in the winds of change after the general election, the responsibility is now on its shoulders to rally Malaysians, not just Malays, behind the BN.

At the recently-concluded general assembly, Najib, who is also Prime Minister, spoke on the need for Umno to transform into an inclusive party, struggling for the Malays and Bumiputeras, while ensuring other races were not sidelined and alienated.

In strengthening the party, efforts to ward off elements that weaken the party and its followers will have to be addressed and here is where the sanctity of Islam and the economic aspect need push and protection.

Umno concluded the party would protect the sanctity of Islam by defining clearly in the Federal Constitution that Malaysia follows the teachings of Sunnah Wal Jamaah.

The threat of Syiah is real and the claim that heads of government-linked companies (GLCs) not helping Malay and Bumiputera enterpreneurs is also real.

With Najib’s commitment to see the two matters taken care of, Umno is off to a new start in transforming itself into a political party where the Malays and Bumiputeras can rest assured their support for the party all this while would not go to waste.

And Malaysians on the whole, can rest easy knowing Umno is not only a party for the Malays but for all Malaysians.