KOTA KINABALU: UMNO Supreme Council member Datuk Bung Moktar Radin has described the call for UMNO president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to resign following UMNO’s dismal performance in the recent six state elections as unfair and uncalled for.
Bung said he was aware of the attempt by a small number of Umno leaders and members who demanded Ahmad Zahid step down as party president.
“Why should we put the blame on only one person (or rather, the president) when other leaders, such as state UMNO leaders and divisional chiefs, are by right equally responsible? To be fair, they should also share the blame, he said here today.
As such, Bung Moktar, who is also Sabah UMNO Liaison Committee Chairman, said there was no need to point the finger at only a certain leader over the dwindling support for the party in the recent state elections, instead they should work hand in hand to bolster the party for a common good.
He also reminded UMNO members and leaders to look back to the time when Ahmad Zahid took over the presidency in 2018, when the party was in disarray, so much so that some did not want to contest the election.
“But he risked himself for the sake of the party until now,” said Bung Moktar.
Bung Moktar said UMNO was, in fact, not a real loser in the recent six state elections.
He said the worst loser was Perikatan Nasional (PN), where, at the initial stage, they appeared to be bragging about capturing four to five states and purportedly used the state elections as a referendum on the Unity Government led by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The reality is that the status quo remains 3-3… In Negeri Sembilan, UMNO won 14 seats, and Pakatan Harapan secured 17 seats,” he said.
“It is true that UMNO did not perform well in the Malay majority seats in Selangor, Kedah, Kelantan, and Terengganu, possibly as a result of various slanders hurled at UMNO and its leaders. “Ironically, there is also a party that claims voting for that party can go to heaven. This is illogical,” he said.
Bung said there was no use pondering the past, particularly the debacle in the recent state elections, and urged the UMNO members to be united and look for a better future ahead.
“We have ample time—four more years—to strengthen the party before the next general election.
“Nothing is impossible in politics, Inshaallah, UMNO will rise again,” said Bung Moktar.
Meanwhile, Bung Moktar said Sabah UMNO takes a cautious stance and will only work with parties that respect each other’s agreements in facing the upcoming state election.
He said the collaboration with other parties had previously taught Sabah UMNO to be mature in establishing cooperation with other parties in the state.
“We will work with any political parties that respect each other’s agreements and benefit UMNO and Sabah,” he added.
