Don't use Malay unity as a political gimmick
The Deputy Prime Minister said Umno did not intend to dispute any party that wanted to establish a secretariat to unify Malay parties, but the motive for its struggle must be clear and not just for political purposes.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also the Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman, said the establishment of Umno on May 11, 1946 also succeeded in bringing together Malay non-governmental organisations (NGOs) at that time and the principle of Malay unification as a whole is still the party's guiding principle.
'I would like to wish the chairman of the Malay Secretariat all the best and I pray that he will succeed in uniting Malay parties and Malay NGOs for the benefit of the Malays.
'Let us unite in what is important in terms of thought, mindset and conscience, not for any other purpose when the organising party is trying to unite the Malays after not having a winner in the last election, apart from all losing deposits,' he said at a press conference after officiating the Bagan Datuk Umno Division Delegates Meeting for 2025 here today.
On June 4, former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was reported to have said that a movement called the Malay Secretariat was formed to unite all parties fighting for the Malays under one big umbrella.
Earlier, Ahmad Zahid, who is also the Member of Parliament for Bagan Datuk, said in his speech that Umno would not accept any form of secretariat that supposedly aims to unite the Malays on a political basis.
Meanwhile, he said that every member, especially Umno leaders need to strengthen the party again, besides realising that the struggle they have been through is full of tests.
He said that all the events that have happened before must also be used as a lesson to ensure that Umno regains its place in the hearts of the people in the 16th general election (GE16).
'There is no struggle without tests. Someone who succeeds in becoming a leader will definitely be tested, if someone rises without tests, they will definitely go down. We must also change and build new strength to ensure that we return to dominating GE16,' he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Barnama
19 minutes ago
- Barnama
Excellent SPM Results: Tuisyen Rakyat RISDA Participants To Get RM300 Incentive
GENERAL KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW) has announced a special incentive of RM300 for all students under the Tuisyen Rakyat RISDA (Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority) programme who excelled in the 2024 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination, in recognition of their achievements. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said that 884 participants in the programme achieved excellent results, including 17 students who scored 11As, 16 students with 10As, and another 72 students who obtained 9As. 'I am immensely proud of the improved performance. The number of high-achieving students, those scoring 5As and above, has increased from 654 in 2023 to 884 this year. This is the result of the collective efforts of students, parents, teachers, and the broader rural education ecosystem, including RISDA. 'This special incentive is a token of appreciation for the relentless efforts and fighting spirit of our rural youth. The success of these RISDA students proves that living in remote areas is no barrier to achieving excellence,' said Ahmad Zahid, who is also Minister of Rural and Regional Development. He said this at the Program Tuisyen Rakyat RISDA excellent student appreciation ceremony, which was also attended by Deputy Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Rubiah Wang, Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) chairman Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki and RISDA chairman Manndzri Nasib. He said the RISDA tuition programme demonstrates the MADANI Government's commitment to providing educational equity to all, regardless of background or location, adding that since its introduction in 2007, the programme has helped 35,316 students with an overall allocation of RM31.03 million. Ahmad Zahid stated that last year, the government allocated RM3.51 million to support 3,015 rural students in taking the SPM examination, with a specific focus on five core subjects: Bahasa Melayu, English, Science, Mathematics, and History. He also expressed his appreciation to the 1,005 teachers involved in the programme across 201 tuition centres nationwide, describing their dedication as the backbone of the students' success. Elaborating, he said that an increasing number of rural students are pursuing studies in universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions, which have now become a top choice.
Focus Malaysia
31 minutes ago
- Focus Malaysia
Zaid snubbed for turncoat tendency after owing up to UMNO for showing up at ‘Turun Anwar' rally
FORMER de facto law minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim has found himself trolled by Madani government backers that he is unwanted by UMNO after he 'proudly' admitted having attended Saturday's (July 26) Turun Anwar rally. This came about after UMNO president Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi stated the likelihood of an internal probe on party members who attended the PAS-inspired event at Dataran Merdeka. According to Zahid who is also the Deputy Prime Minister, UMNO as a component of the unity alliance firmly adheres to the principle of supporting and strengthening the Madani government led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. 'I want to see first who is present. My team and I will ask why they are present. We want to know the reason for their presence there,' he had told a media conference after officiating the Raub Division UMNO representative meeting in Raub, Pahang yesterday (July 27). This statement promoted the opposition-slant Zaid who became an UMNO member 'by default' while he served as the defence attorney momentarily for incarcerated former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak to owe up without any second thought. 'Well, let me make it easy for them: I was there. Not only that; I gave speeches too,' he penned on X. Heard that Umno is now checking on members who took part in the 26 July Rally. Well, let me make it easy for them: I was there. Not only that; I gave speeches too. But I didn't say anything I haven't already written and spoken about for months; about the unbearable cost of… — Zaid Ibrahim (@zaidibrahim) July 27, 2025 'But I didn't say anything I haven't already written and spoken about for months; about the unbearable cost of living, the burdensome taxes and how the Madani government has failed the rakyat.' In his self-defence, Zaid further stressed that he did not lie nor 'betray anyone' by virtue of joining the rally. 'I didn't promise not to work with DAP or Anwar, only to turn around and do the opposite,' he cynically justified. 'I didn't participate in the charade about the hidden addendum. If speaking the truth is now a punishable offence in UMNO, then perhaps they should look at themselves in the mirror before judging others.' This is when brickbats were hurled at Zaid for assuming that he is an asset in UMNO when the actual fact is that 'you're irrelevant'. 'Do you seriously think UMNO need you?' wondered one commenter. 'I wanted to tell you to grow up but can you? You're like an 'old turkey' with tough meat that can't be softened even if boiled with papaya roots. LOL.' Others chided him by criticising him for his frog-like nature of 'leaping from one party to another' while 'playing all sides'. As such, his presence or absence from UMNO is immaterial if his heart lies in the struggle of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition. The bottom line, as some commenters aptly put it, is for Zaid who had also been previously associated with DAP, KITA (Parti Kesejahteraan Insan Tanah Air) and PKR to have the decency to just quit UMNO if he feels that he cannot longer toe the party's line. – July 28, 2025 Main image credit: Wan Ahmad Fayhsal/Facebook
The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
Regulating online fraud: Malaysia's OSB vs China's approach
INITIATED in the 2010s, China's Digital Silk Road (DSR) aims to enhance digital connectivity across nations through infrastructure, trade, finance, people-to-people exchanges and policy coordination. It presents new commercial opportunities for Malaysia by fostering collaboration between Chinese and Malaysian businesses, strengthening Malaysia's digital economy ecosystem. The convergence of China's DSR, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the rapid rise in artificial intelligence (AI) have significantly accelerated the adoption of digital technologies in business processes and operations within Malaysia. However, while digitalisation offers numerous benefits, it has unfortunately also led to a significant surge in online criminal activity. A recent report by The Star revealed that nearly RM600mil was lost to online fraud from January to March, according to the Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department. The report highlighted that criminals are exploiting technological advancements and modern lifestyles, using fake digital identities, fraudulent websites, chatbots and deepfakes to deceive victims. Recognising the escalating threat posed by these sophisticated methods, regulatory interventions focused on online content have become a prevailing trend. Malaysia, in line with this trend, passed the Online Safety Bill (OSB) 2024 in December. It is awaiting official gazettement, and its effective date will be determined by Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil. The new law aims to enhance online safety in Malaysia by regulating harmful content and establishing duties and obligations for application service providers (those who provide network services such as Internet access), content application service providers (those who provide content such as broadcasting and video streaming), and network service providers (those providing cellular mobile services and bandwidth services) operating within and outside Malaysia. According to Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reforms) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, it applies to licensed application and content service providers such as Instagram, WhatsApp, TikTok and YouTube. The Bill regulates two categories of content: 'harmful content' and 'priority harmful content'. Its First Schedule defines the scope of harmful content, which includes content on financial fraud, excluding content that promotes awareness or education related to financial fraud. The content on financial fraud listed in the First Schedule is also classified as 'priority harmful content' in the Second Schedule. Key duties imposed on service providers include the obligation to implement measures to detect and mitigate harmful content (Section 13), issue user guidelines (Section 14), establish mechanisms for handling user reports of potentially harmful content (Sections 16 and 17), and prepare an Online Safety Plan (Section 20). For priority harmful content, such as financial fraud, service providers must take steps to prevent user access (Section 19). Despite Fahmi's assurance that the government's intention in introducing the OSB is to serve as a measure to combat crime, such as financial fraud, and not to restrict freedom of expression, critics remain concerned about its potential to restrict freedom of expression and be used as a censorship tool by the government. These are valid concerns, particularly considering the vague definition of harmful content in the OSB and the vast powers conferred on a commission reporting to the Communications Ministry. This commentary limits its discussion to the Bill's role concerning content on financial fraud. It is undeniable that unregulated content involving financial fraud, such as online scams, can damage business reputations and cause financial losses. Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching reported that RM1.224bil was lost to online crimes and scams in Malaysia within the first 10 months of last year, with many victims falling prey to sponsored advertisements on social media platforms. Indeed, a duty should be imposed on service providers to prevent these platforms from profiting from sponsored advertisements involving financial scams, for which they receive payment to promote products or services. Nevertheless, the provisions in the OSB are still lacking when viewed from the perspective of curbing online fraud. In China, the government passed the Anti-Telecom and Online Fraud Law ('ATOF Law') in September 2022. This law is more specific, aiming to prevent, deter and punish telecommunications and online fraud, strengthen efforts against such fraud, and protect the rights and interests of citizens and organisations. It imposes responsibilities on key businesses in the telecommunications, financial, and Internet sectors to prevent fraud risks. Among these requirements, the law requires service providers to verify users' identities before providing a range of services, such as web hosting, content and software distribution, livestreaming and advertising (Article 21). The law also imposes a duty of reasonable care on service providers to monitor, identify, and address the use of their services to commit fraud (Article 25). The ATOF Law provides a model regulation for targeted fraud prevention. While Malaysia and China operate within different legal and cultural frameworks, there are valuable lessons to be learned from China's experience in addressing online fraud. China's preventive measures have contributed to a more secure digital environment for businesses and consumers, minimising the impact of online fraud. While the Malaysian government's efforts to ensure a secure online environment and build trust in the digital ecosystem are laudable, more targeted provisions focused on the specific mechanics of online fraud would be more efficient, like China's ATOF Law, instead of a broad content regulation approach. China's ATOF Law, which emphasises user verification and platform monitoring for fraudulent activities, would allow for a more focused approach to content regulation. It is imperative that the Malaysian government review the adequacy of the OSB in achieving its intended purpose of curbing online crime. To enhance its efficacy, the government could consider incorporating more granular provisions that mandate specific actions from service providers and establish clear and enforceable guidelines and penalties. A well-regulated online environment, one that builds trust and security, can attract foreign investment and facilitate DSR-related collaborations, shaping the long-term trajectory of Malaysia's digital economy. Lai Chooi Ling is a lecturer at Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology (TAR UMT). The views expressed here are entirely the writer's own. The SEARCH Scholar Series is a social responsibility programme jointly organised by the South-East Asia Research Centre for Humanities (SEARCH) and TAR UMT.
