Can shedding hardline image help Malaysia’s Umno recover from existential crisis?
- President Ahmad Zahid Hamidi hinted at a key meeting the nationalist party needs to ditch rabble-rousing rhetoric and embrace centrist politics to revive its flagging fortunes
- But experts are doubtful about Umno’s intentions, given the group remains focused on rebuilding its clout among the majority Malays
“At the time we moved towards uniting the ummah, there were views that this was a dangerous political movement. It was said to create an unhealthy and unbalanced political situation,” Ahmad Zahid told delegates at Umno’s general assembly on Friday.
“This was because we are a plural nation, with various races and religions. We cannot form a far-right political movement.”
The Umno president’s reconciliatory tone was a far cry from the usual rabble-rousing rhetoric that punctuated the nationalist party’s annual meetings even as recently as last year, when leaders and members would expound on the rights and privileges of the majority ethnic Malay community over that of minority groups in the country.
Ahmad Zahid used the gathering to tout unity and emphasised the need to first foster political stability in Malaysia before the party can hope to start reviving its electoral fortunes.