Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan says the party’s cooperation with DAP in the unity government remains difficult to sell to Malay voters despite the government’s economic and reform efforts.
He said issues involving Malay interests would continue to dominate Malay politics, while factors such as good leadership, sound policies and government performance would remain secondary considerations for many Malay voters.
“Issues concerning Malay interests have been and will continue to be an important dominant factor in Malay politics.
“Leadership based on good performance, sound policies and excellent service is a ‘second calculation’ in the minds of Malay voters,” he said in his opening speech at the simultaneous opening of the Wanita Umno, Umno Youth and Puteri Umno delegates’ conferences here on Wednesday.
Mohamad said matters relating to Malay interests would remain a key political domain and warned that failure to manage such issues properly could create a perception that the interests of Malays and Islam were being neglected.
He said Umno had struggled to justify its cooperation with DAP as part of the unity government, with the partnership difficult to reconcile with perceptions held by parts of the Malay electorate.
“There is no argument that can convince the majority of Malay constituents, or soften their position, to accept cooperation between Umno and DAP in the unity government.”
Government performance may not change perceptions
Mohamad said one reason was the perception among Malays that DAP had never supported affirmative action policies for indigenous people, as well as the stigma that the party was anti-Islam.
He said such perceptions remained deeply embedded despite the unity government’s performance.
“The unity government has not performed badly.”
Mohamad said the government had implemented various policies and programmes aimed at expanding and strengthening the national economy despite challenges arising from the global geopolitical crisis.
He said the government had also continued distributing aid, strengthening efforts to combat corruption and leakages, and pursuing reforms across various sectors.
“All of these are supported by Umno as part of our collective responsibility in the government,” he said.
However, Mohamad said these achievements were not necessarily viewed through a Malay interest lens.
“As long as Umno is seen together with DAP, all of this will make the unity government appear not to represent the Malays and their interests.”
Umno must rebuild itself, says Mohamad
Mohamad also said Umno could not rely on other parties and must instead rebuild itself through its own means and strategies.
He said the party needed to remain independent and strengthen itself rather than depend on other political parties.
“Umno realises that it cannot depend on others. Not Pakatan Harapan or Perikatan Nasional, nor PAS and what more DAP.
“We must realise that as long as we depend on other parties, we are still far from recovering.
“If we depend on others, we can achieve our short-term objectives but the losses in the long term will damage Umno,” he said at the joint opening of the Umno Youth, Wanita and Puteri annual general assembly here on Wednesday.
He said Umno also had pride and honour that were unrivalled.
“We cannot be bought with seasonal political cooperation. Umno must strengthen itself so we no longer have to depend on others for continuity,” he said.
Umno is currently part of the federal unity government with Pakatan Harapan and other parties.
The party, however, also entered into political cooperation with Perikatan Nasional during the recent Negeri Sembilan state election, winning a two-thirds majority in the state assembly.
More recently, PAS, a component of Perikatan Nasional, invited Umno leaders to attend its annual Muktamar, while Umno reciprocated by inviting PAS leaders to its annual general assembly beginning Thursday.
