SHAH ALAM - Some Umno leaders are suffering from denial syndrome with the impression that the Malays still need them, says its vice-president Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
In a Fireside Chat by Sinar Daily, he said Umno is the biggest Malay party with 3.5 million members but with only 34 per cent Malay votes.
"I don't want to label them as headstrong or stubborn, but they're definitely in denial," he said.
"Many among them still think the Malays need Umno when in fact we only have 34 per cent Malay votes despite being the biggest Malay party," he added.
The former prime minister said Perikatan Nasional controls 54 per cent of the Malay votes and based on this alone it is obvious who was the one truly able to woo the Malay votes in the 15th General Election (GE15).
In last year's GE15 on Nov 19, Umno suffered its worst defeat at the national poll, winning only 26 parliamentary seats compared to the 54 that it won in GE14.
However, the party ultimately managed to form government with PH as GE15 ended in a hung parliament where not a single party had enough numbers to form government on their own.