SEREMBAN - Fighting for the ummah, religion and nation has now become a mere commodity when the rhetoric does not align with actions.
Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said the concept of ummah unity was being used by certain parties as a political survival tactic.
"If we truly care about the ummah, Umno would not have broken up in the first place. Those who talk about ummah unity are the same ones who left the party, betrayed it and sought their own path.
"So, let’s not simply use the word ummah when in reality, they left Umno to establish another party to replace it," he said when met at an iftar event at a hotel here on Thursday.
His statement is believed to be a veiled jab at the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) deputy president Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin, who recently expressed the party’s willingness to cooperate with its rival, Umno, in pursuit of political goals.
Hamzah was reported saying that there was no reason for Umno and Bersatu to remain divided if they shared similar political struggle and ideology.
However, Mohamad, who is also the Rembau MP argued that Bersatu’s call for unity with Umno was not genuinely about ummah unity but rather a result of their lack of clear direction.
"So, let’s not commercialise the concept of the ummah. If we truly cared about the ummah, we wouldn’t have split in the first place.
"I hope sincerity is prioritised. If one truly speaks about the ummah, I have no problem with that. What matters is that the strength of the ummah is built on sincerity, not for the benefit of certain groups.
"If we truly care about the ummah, wherever we are, we should serve with our best efforts instead of causing further division," he said.
He added that Bersatu's actions in the past have left the people confused and disappointed with political parties.
"Many people today are non-partisan and the percentage of fence-sitters is significantly high because they are disappointed with the political parties that exist today," he said.
Therefore, he emphasised that the concept of ummah unity did not necessarily have to be achieved through political party alliances but can be pursued through various platforms to address ummah-related issues.
This, he said, would strengthen unity, ensuring a peaceful and prosperous nation.