IT is going to be a long, long road to redemption for Barisan Nasional if it intends to regain federal power, said Khairy Jamaluddin.
The Umno lawmaker said it might take more than one election to convince Malaysians who voted BN out after 60 years in power.
“We have to accept that we start at a very, very low base. And this is a very, very long road to redemption.
“It will take years, and it could take more than one election cycle, so we have to be prepared for that,” Khairy told The Malaysian Insight in an interview marking Pakatan Harapan’s 100 days in power.
The former youth and sports minister said BN should acknowledge its mistakes as soon as possible and be a firm opposition.
“We have to demonstrate to the public that even though there is a serious and huge trust deficit that still exists with BN, we are moving on.
“We’re not in denial. Past is past.
BN, one of the world’s longest-serving coalitions, lost power when Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad led PH to a thumping victory in the elections on May 9.
The pact only managed to win 79 of the 222 parliamentary seats.
From 13 parties, BN is now whittled down to three – Umno, MCA and MIC. The departure of several parties, mainly from Sabah and Sarawak, after the election loss, leaves BN with 54 seats, most of them held by Umno MPs.
Following the crushing defeat, former prime minister Najib Razak stepped down as Umno president, leaving his post open for contest in June’s party elections.
Khairy, who contested for the top post on a call for a total overhaul of the party, lost to Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The former Youth chief now said Umno is stuck in an “existential” crisis and can either stick to what the party is known for, like racial politics, or reinvent itself to suit the current political mood.
“Umno, which is the biggest party in BN, is facing an existential crisis, searching its soul, which way to go, whether it would stick to the old racial rhetoric, religious fear-mongering, associating itself with tainted characters and issuing incendiary statements.
“Or do we show that we can reform, turn over a new leaf, recruit better members and leaders, professionals that are progressive.”
The party needs to decide quickly on its direction before it can attempt to regain public support, the Rembau MP said.
“At the moment, we are torn between the wrong stuff, which is racial hatred, right-wing, religious fear-mongering and the good stuff, which is a good credible opposition, talking on behalf of all Malaysians, defending the Malay community but in the right way, so that dilemma has to resolve itself,” Khairy said.
If there are several by-elections, BN should be prepared to lose as Malaysians are still euphoric over PH’s victory, he added.
“Obviously any by-election that takes place in the next one or two years, especially if it is not in a BN stronghold, we are going to lose.
“That compounds the effect of the misery for us because you will continue to lose, lose and lose.” – August 17, 2018.
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