Fight money politics or leave Umno, party members told

Updated 7 years ago · Published on 31 Dec 2018 2:11PM · 4 Comments

Acting Umno president Mohamad Hasan says the party will no longer give preference to age or seniority when choosing its leadership. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, December 31, 2018.

UMNO’S new direction must involve a complete rejection of money politics, acting party president Mohamad Hasan said today.

In a statement outlining his plans after taking over the president’s duties from Ahmad Zahid Hamidi earlier this month, Mohamad said those who disagreed with his declaration were welcome to leave the party.

“Umno will attack money politics. It is the reason Umno has plunged to its current depths. It not only caused us to lose but made the people weaker.

“To all members, you must realise how abhorrent and vile money politics is,” he said, pledging to clean the party of the practice.

“Whoever does not wish to join us in this fight, move to another party on the other side, or to any party that will give you what you want.

“The new Umno is only for those who are clean, who are willing to fight and who love their race,” Mohamad said.

Ridding Umno of money politics has been one of the ways Mohamad has planned to revive Umno, along with strengthening its role as an opposition party and reviewing the way it approaches its traditional platform of Malay rights.

It was the strongest statement from the party’s leadership about its future direction since losing federal power in the 14th general election.

Instead of money politics, Mohamad said Umno’s “political capital” would be based on ideas that involved the people’s views.

With this, the party would no longer give preference to age or seniority when choosing its leadership, but to those who had ideas that were relevant to the times.

“We will be ‘a learning political party’ that will absorb the best ideas… and will base our struggle on developing policies and programmes that will bring benefits, and develop leaders who are competent and institutions that are modern and progressive.

“Umno will move and be orientated on the basis of data, studies, new knowledge and the latest approaches.

“By making ideas our political capital, we allow for the generational change that the party needs.

“Age will no longer be seen as an advantage for Umno leaders. The party will move in a way that is meaningful to the current generation, that is relevant and in tune with today’s needs.” – December 31, 2018.

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Comments

  • Was this guy born yesterday??!
    He should know by now (after 60 years) that Umno thrives on money politics.
    All he is saying are sweet, nice-to-hear words/pledges.. But in reality and practice, corruption, cronyism & money politics is so deep-rooted in umno that it will be difficult to separate one from the other!

    Posted 7 years ago by TTs Take · Reply

  • The only way you want to change peoples perception of umno is to deregister the party and establish a new one, new name and with a complete set of new, committed leaders who are corrupt-free, clean and committed to peoples and the nations welfare..
    All current leaders should retire... Then only can you expect to play a role in nation building

    Posted 7 years ago by TTs Take · Reply

  • To be fair to the party and the Acting President, i strongly believe he had laid down strong statements to revive the party, lets hope it becomes a reality down the road as this is what the public wants to see.

    Posted 7 years ago by Ahmad Mohamed · Reply

    • How can he realize those goals when the warlords are watching behind him?

      Posted 7 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply