Party success needs team effort- Johari Ghani

New Straits Times

8 hours ago

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani today called on party members to embrace a team-based approach, warning that relying on individuals alone will lead to failure.
Johari, who is Titiwangsa Umno division chief, likened political strategy to a football match, that every 'player' must play their part effectively for the team to succeed.
"We need to have a team mentality. If we do not base our efforts on a team, we won't get anywhere," he said at the division's delegates meeting today.
Johari, who is also Titiwangsa member of Parliament, cited his experience in past general elections, noting that he lost in the 14th General Election despite being the deputy finance minister at the time, due to a weak team structure.
"I lost by 4,000 votes because the team was not solid," he said.
The plantation and commodities minister illustrated his point with an analogy involving a village football team that spent RM300 million to recruit Cristiano Ronaldo, only to find the star player ineffective because the rest of the team could not get the ball to him.
Johari said success is only possible when each member of the team understands their role.
In his speech, Johari also credited Barisan Nasional's win in Titiwangsa in the 15th General Election to four and a half years of careful preparation and the dedication of grassroots members including branch leaders, Wanita, Youth and Puteri wings.
"We won during the worst tsunami in Umno's history, but Titiwangsa held firm because the team was solid," he said.
He said that even the most prominent figures cannot win elections without a functioning support system.
"Even with great strikers, if the team is not strong, this is what we will see," he said, referring to a former prime minister who lost his deposit in Langkawi despite his legacy.
Looking ahead to the 16th General Election, Johari cautioned that dismantling the team concept would be detrimental, regardless of the candidate.
Later, at a press conference, Johari said political success cannot rest on the shoulders of one individual alone, underscoring the importance of teamwork in any contest.
"One person cannot win for the party. He cannot guarantee victory on his own," said Johari, adding that a strong team creates a better chance of winning.
Meanwhile, acknowledging the diversity within political organisations, Johari said differing opinions and ideologies are common.
"We must accept the reality that political parties are established to champion their respective ideologies," he said, citing Umno, DAP, PKR, Amanah and the various parties from Sabah and Sarawak as examples.
He highlighted the challenge and the necessity of cooperation among ideologically distinct parties during elections and in forming a functional government post-victory.
"The real question is how we organise our roles despite differing ideologies and once we win, how we unite to build a government that can drive national development."
He said Malaysia's political landscape has changed significantly.
"It's no longer like the past, where one party could dominate for up to 60 years. Now, we must learn the concept of power-sharing," he said.