DELAYING the next general election (GE) could work against Umno, because it would allow the opposition to regroup, party deputy president Mohamad Hasan said tonight.

He called for the election to be held at the earliest opportunity, urging the party to “attack” when the opposition is weak.

“Strike while your enemy is weak and strike while the iron is hot.

“Don’t let them regroup like what they did in the last election, when Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Anwar Ibrahim kissed each other. That will leave us dead.

“So, now is the right time for us to strike. Delaying the election will open up the potential for an opposition resurgence,” the former Negri Sembilan menteri besar said during his keynote speech at the joint opening of the party’s Wanita, Youth and Puteri assemblies at the Putra World Trade Centre this evening.

The Umno deputy president’s call for a general election follows Barisan Nasional’s resounding success in the Johor elections on Saturday, sweeping 40 of 56 seats in the state assembly.

Mohamad said the three most recent state elections indicated that the opposition was losing support.

He said neither Pakatan Harapan nor Perikatan Nasional (PN) did well in any of those polls. On top of which, he said BN was able to claim landslide victories in Malacca and Johor.

“PKR lost all their seats in Malacca and Sarawak, while only won one seat in Johor – only because we pitied them and left them a seat, like leaving a tombstone. Otherwise, it is like their death has no mark.

“DAP, on the other hand, lost many seats in Malacca and Sarawak, while in Johor won 10 out of 14 seats.

“PN depends on PAS and is not reliable anymore,” he said, adding that BN could have done even better with a comprehensive strategy.

Meanwhile, Mohamad said Umno must re-establish itself as the dominant party in Malaysia – without depending on allies – win the election and control the government.

“We must be the strongest political force. There is no use in being the biggest party in the country with more than 3 million members but only having 17% of the seats in Parliament,” he said.

“Stop relying on other parties to rule, especially PAS, Bersatu and PH.

“We must not depend on their lifeline. The culture of finding a way to hang on must be discarded. Never ask for a (political) lifeline from others or give one out, especially to those who beg for opportunities but end up stabbing us in the back,” he said.

Mohamad also took the opportunity to criticise past party leaders who left after BN lost the last election.

“When Umno lost, they gave excuses like they needed a break but instead jumped ship for the most sickening reason.

“Now Umno is being accepted back by the Malays and suddenly they re-emerge. They are just opportunists,” he said. – March 16, 2022.