In last assembly, Najib fires up Umno troops for electoral war
Zainal Epi, Malay Mail Online
Umno ended its 71st annual general assembly today with members in fighting mode and full of spirit to obliterate its political foes and all obstacles in its path for a big win in the coming 14th general elections, though the date remains unknown.
Party president and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had set the mood, the pace, identified the enemies and outlined the issues and theme last Thursday when he opened the assembly and the mood and the raging fiery spirit have since been building up and kept burning till today as the delegates left the Putra World Trade Centre to head home.
Najib made no secret of the intensity of the coming political battle that will end with only one victor, where the winner wins all and the losers lose all.
The theme of the battle ahead is crystal-clear and plain – eliminate the political enemies for good or face a catastrophic future. It’s a theme that goes down deep inside the hearts and minds of Malays and Malaysians in general.
The line drawn is clear for the three million-odd Umno members to campaign to voters — choose the present Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) where the records of development and benefits are there for all to see and with many more already on the drawing board.
Most importantly, the coming general elections is about defending the religion, race and country which literally leads to jihad — to protect whoever under the administration regardless of race and religion as preached by Islam.
Or voters can choose the uncertain and confused federal Opposition pact that has no track record and until today has no inkling of which direction to go, who is to be the leader, and an unclear agenda.
Najib has also set the target group of voters — the fence sitters — who are either confused due to an overdose of politics, misled by the Opposition’s statements or have yet to be exposed to issues that will determine their future.
The party’s women, youth and puteri movements had identified some three million such voters who have yet to make up their minds, who are searching for “the light” that can make them see a glimpse of the future based on past records.
Najib has also identified the target enemies — the DAP and former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad — as well as those helping spread the federal Opposition politician’s “lies” on social media.
The coming general elections depends largely on the party’s election machinery and in this case, for Umno in particular and BN in general, Umno women and the youth movements’ election machineries are the best there is which, in the 1960s, created fear among their enemies.
Given the country’s political landscape where the number of young voters equals the current ones and the issues have changed tremendously due to global economic and political development and the change in local needs of the daily bread and butter issues, the two movements will have their hands full.
With a few months to go to change the hearts and minds that have somewhat or rather been implanted with half-truths or outright lies, the two movements will have to seek new approaches and methods.
Both the movements’ election machineries have their tentacles right into the households of voters deep in the interior rural areas which only the PAS election machinery can match but not in all areas.
Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin and women head Tan Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil had anticipated the scenario and already prepared their respective machinery, their targets and even the new methodology of cyber war.
In short, the party — from the top leaders right down to its wings and members — are prepared and ready and the move has begun as the battle drum has been sounded.
