Internal sabotage caused Umno's election losses, says Asyraf
Umno secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki greeting party members at the delegates meeting of the Rantau Panjang Umno division yesterday. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA : Sabotage by party members, not the strength of rival parties, led to Umno's losses in the 2022 general election (GE15), says Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki.
'That (sabotage) is what we want to avoid in the future,' the party's secretary-general told reporters after opening the delegates meeting of the Rantau Panjang Umno division yesterday, Bernama reported.
He reminded party leaders and members to remain united and avoid any discord to ensure a big victory at the next general election (GE16).
In GE15, Umno won only 26 parliamentary seats and 31% of the popular vote, the worst election performance in its history compared to its 2004 high point, when it won 102 seats and 65% of the popular vote.
Asked about moves for Umno to leave the unity government and go solo in GE16, he said: 'We have never been alone in a general election as the country's stability and prosperity would not be achieved if the struggle was done individually.'
He added that the Umno Supreme Council will continue to defend the unity government.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
GRS to consider opinion of component parties before entering election pacts
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor will consider the opinion of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) component parties regarding a proposed pact for the state election. GRS information chief Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said ultimately, any collaboration must be a collective decision among Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah, Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku, Liberal Democratic Party, Parti Cinta Sabah, United Sabah National Organisation, Sabah Progressive Party and Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah. "I think most political parties, especially the local parties within GRS, have made their stand clear as far as working with Umno is concerned. "The stand of Parti Bersatu Sabah is: don't let GRS work with Umno-Barisan Nasional. You don't want to work with us, it's okay. That is why there is nothing wrong with us saying we will not work with you, after all," he told the media after launching the Community-Based Tourism Expo at a shopping mall here. Present was Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Christina Liew. Joniston, who is also the state assistant minister of tourism, culture and environment, was responding to the inconsistent statements from BN leaders regarding an election pact with GRS. Earlier this week, BN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the coalition was open to working with GRS and others. However, Sabah BN chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin stated that there should be no middleman in discussions between Sabah BN and GRS. Joniston also said Hajiji had indicated he would like existing parties in the state government to continue leading after the 17th state election. However, he clarified that although the current GRS–Pakatan Harapan (PH) government includes several Barisan Nasional (BN) elected representatives, this did not mean that BN was part of the state government. "Like what the chief minister said, we want to continue working with the existing partners we have in running the state government. And BN is not part of it. "But as you all know, BN per se is not part of the government. What we have are Umno representatives who are members of the state cabinet." In January 2022, Bung allegedly led a bid by Sabah BN lawmakers to topple Hajiji's administration. However, the attempt failed when assemblymen Datuk Shahelmey Yahya, Datuk James Ratib, Datuk Jasnih Daya and Datuk Mohd Arsad Bistari, among others, defied his order to withdraw their support for Hajiji. GRS currently controls 38 of the 73 state seats, while Umno holds 11 and PH has seven.
Malay Mail
an hour ago
- Malay Mail
Young voters want credibility, not nostalgia, Johari tells Umno members
KUALA LUMPUR, June 28 — Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani today urged Umno delegates to shift their mindset and move away from clinging to past leadership glory, as the political landscape continues to evolve. According to Buletin TV3, the Umno vice-president said 40 per cent of voters in the next general election will be made up of young Malaysians, whose expectations and outlook differ from previous generations. 'These young people are not interested in narratives that divide Malaysia's multiracial society. Their friends come from diverse backgrounds. 'What they want is a leader who can navigate and shape a harmonious multiracial nation,' he said during his keynote address at the 2025 Titiwangsa Umno Division Delegates' Meeting today. Johari, who is also the Titiwangsa Umno division chief, said the party must remain inclusive and not marginalise non-Malay communities. He warned that failure to move beyond outdated thinking could result in a loss of trust among young voters. 'They're not interested in nostalgia. They want to see whether future leaders are transparent, open, and free of corruption. 'They are evaluating leaders based on integrity, credibility, and their knowledge to build a better future for their generation — and those to come. 'They're also looking for strong commitment from leaders — those who are willing to sacrifice time, effort and ideas for the nation without expecting rewards,' he reportedly said. Johari, who also serves as minister of plantation and commodities, said Umno delegates carry the responsibility of developing credible community leaders who can be seen as products of the party.
Malay Mail
2 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Telegram ignored over half of Malaysia's takedown requests, says communications minister
KUALA LUMPUR, June 28 — Malaysian authorities are escalating pressure on Telegram after accusing the messaging platform of routinely ignoring requests to take down harmful content — a move that has led to a rare civil suit and threats of stricter regulation. In a Free Malaysia Today report, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said Telegram has shown the lowest compliance rate among all major social media platforms in Malaysia, acting on fewer than half of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission's (MCMC) takedown requests. 'I have ordered MCMC to call Telegram for a meeting next week to discuss the issue,' Fahmi told reporters today after an event in Pantai Dalam. The remarks come days after MCMC filed a civil lawsuit against Telegram and two of its prominent channels — Edisi Siasat and Edisi Khas — for allegedly disseminating content that could erode trust in public institutions and threaten social order. The regulator said the two channels had published material in breach of Malaysia's Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and that this was the first time legal action had been taken against a social media platform with a local licence. Telegram is registered as an application service provider (class) in Malaysia. 'The move follows Telegram's serious failure to address content that has been repeatedly reported to it, despite multiple negotiation and cooperation efforts by MCMC,' the commission said in a statement. Fahmi added that MCMC had flagged over 1.18 million pieces of harmful content across platforms as of June 24 this year. Only 173,642 of those were removed. 'Of this number, 51 per cent of the content removed were online gambling ads, while 24 per cent were online scams,' he said. 'We will take strict action to ensure Malaysians do not become victims of cybercrime.' While MCMC has no power to directly remove content itself, it can issue requests and expects platform providers to comply. Fahmi stressed that the platforms ultimately bear the responsibility for restricting access to such material in Malaysia.
