BN rebranding in the works, Zahid tells Umno assembly

Chan Kok Leong Chan Kok Leong Updated 7 years ago · Published on 29 Sep 2018 11:20PM · 9 Comments

President Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (centre) says all Umno elected representatives have been told to sign a declaration that they will compensate the party if they choose to leave. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Nazir Sufari, September 29, 2018.

BARISAN Nasional will rebrand itself once negotiations among its parties are finalised, said Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He said the main components will be Umno, MCA, MIC, MyPPP and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS).

“Other parties (that can join) are those that share the same aspirations and ideology, friendly parties, civil society groups and individual members,” said Zahid in his keynote speech at the opening of the Umno general assembly at the Putra World Trade Centre tonight.

It is his first keynote speech after being elected as president in July. The assembly also marks Umno’s first as an opposition party.

In the run-up to the general assembly, delegates and members were eagerly waiting for Zahid to set a new direction for the party after it lost power for the first time since the country’s independence in 1957.

“Umno’s direction is to win and return to power. This is our course of direction,” said Zahid.

“If we form the government again, we can do what is necessary for the good of the nation.”

To achieve this goal, he outlined reforms in seven areas – party constitution, membership and structure, training, information technology, new offers and Umno’s internal workings.

The points highlighted include maintaining Umno as a Malay party, restructuring the disciplinary committee to curb money politics in the party, and setting targets for national leaders to meet grassroots members.

This year's general assembly marks Umno's first as an opposition party. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Afif Abd Halim, September 29, 2018.

“We have also taken drastic steps and sent out summons to elected reps who have quit the party. We want them to pay back, and vacate the seats that were won on Umno and Barisan Nasional tickets,” said Zahid.

He explained why it had taken so long for him to come up with a new direction for Umno.

“I am sorry, but I had to focus on internal management issues amid efforts to weaken the party.”

He said the party’s accounts have been frozen, and there are efforts to confiscate Umno’s assets and declare the party illegal.

“I call upon these parties not to persecute Umno, and to follow the law.”

He said all Umno elected representatives have been told to sign a declaration that they will compensate the party if they choose to leave.

He added that the party will lower the membership age from 18 to 16, and limit the president’s term to two.

The 65-year-old Bagan Datuk MP also spelled out the need for Umno to form new alliances.

“As the opposition, we must have more opposition friends, as we have a common enemy. We have long had political cooperation with MCA, MIC, MyPPP, PBRS and other parties.”

He did not mention cooperation with PAS.

Former Umno president Najib Razak (centre) and PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (left) at the Putra World Trade Centre today. The Islamist party sent a delegation to this year's Umno general assembly after Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi attended PAS' congress two weeks ago. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Afif Abd Halim, September 29, 2018.

Since the 14th general election, Umno has cooperated with PAS in the Sg Kandis and Seri Setia by-elections.

Zahid was the first Umno president to attend a PAS annual congress, held two weeks ago, since the Islamist party quit BN in 1977.

In return, PAS sent a delegation of leaders, led by deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, and vice-presidents Idris Ahmad and Iskandar Samad, to the Umno general assembly.

Earlier, PAS Youth and women’s chiefs Muhammad Khalil Abdul Hadi and Nuridah Mohd Salleh attended the opening of the Umno Youth and Wanita meetings.

While MIC sent president S. Vineswaran, MCA did not send any representatives.

In his speech, Zahid also thanked his predecessor, Najib Razak, for his role in the party before stepping down three days after GE14.

The mention of Najib’s name was met with delegates’ applause. – September 29, 2018.

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Comments

  • He's not even born a Malaysian! How can he even lead UMNO???

    Posted 7 years ago by Ahmad Shauqi Kassim · Reply

  • He he he

    Posted 7 years ago by Hantoo Blacklord · Reply

  • Trash talk...Let KJ helm the party u dumbass

    Posted 7 years ago by Hantoo Blacklord · Reply

  • Rebranding KLEPTOCRASY UMNO's way..so long as that kleptokrat remain an Umno kleptokrat..thieving people's wealth and money esp the GST refund of RM19 billion..Umno and PAS shall remain theives..and glorify thieving and stealing..

    Posted 7 years ago by Dr ShahAli Imram Ali · Reply

  • Applause for Najib? Reform?

    Posted 7 years ago by Ramli Sirap · Reply

  • If by rebranding is meant revamping & reforms then we must welcome it. The Congress Party of India when they lost the general election for the 1st time after about 50 years of rule (after British rule as in Malaysia) because of alleged corruption, reformed to put their house in order, and won the right to form the govt again after being 10 years in the opposition. Pakatan really needs to win GE 15 which is due by 2023 for at least another 5 years more in order to build on & consolidate their ongoing reforms, when Umno-BN can then take over the reins of govt again after being 10 years in the opposition (like the Indian Congress Party did way back then)..

    Posted 7 years ago by MELVILLE JAYATHISSA · Reply

  • Corruption is the root cause of why UMNO is now in the opposition. Zahid, tell us how UMNO will help the government to weed out the corrupt from its ranks. In thanking his 'predecessor, Najib, he is forgetting his own key role as No. 2 for UMNO's failure..

    Posted 7 years ago by Shaikh karim · Reply

  • Fighting for power, clearly Umno has not changed. People will bury them for another 10 years.

    Posted 7 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • PH can help reform Umno first by investing all filthy members and serving them long jail terms. If BN ever comes back in the next GE, all good things done by PH very likely will be thrown into the garbage bag. One wonders the real intention of all those super rich former BN ministers who rushed to meet TDM.

    Posted 7 years ago by Concerned Citizen · Reply