Tok Mat calls for Umno to focus on GE15, not party polls
KUALA LUMPUR - Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan held nothing back during his speech at the party’s Wanita, Youth and Puteri wings annual assemblies at the World Trade Centre (WTC) here tonight (March 16).
He demanded that the 15th General Election (GE15) be held as soon as possible, as he said that what the country was desperate for political stability, something only Umno can offer.
Umno's focus now, he said, was to become the strongest, most dominant political party and win big in the coming general election so as to create a more stable government.
He even said that party members should be focused on winning GE15 rather than its own party polls in a bid to form a government and return to power.
“The focus of this Umno General Assembly 2022 should be preparing ourselves for the coming general election.
“The focus should not be on party elections. It should not be focusing on getting rid of individuals or distributing posts and gratifications,” he said, adding that it should the polls should be held now and “not next year”.
Party elections must be held by year-end after it was postponed for 18 months in June last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, while GE15 must be held by July 2023.
Mohamad, popularly known as Tok Mat, also called out opposition parties, dubbing their behaviour "childish" for using low voter turnouts as an excuse for their losses in the Johor state election.
“A win is a win. If you lose, you lose.
"If you want to win, your voters and supporters should have come out and voted for you,” he said.
The Rantau assemblyman also hoped that the Parliament would be dissolved with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s permission.
He said GE15 should be called soon as Barisan Nasional needed to return the mandate to the people, adding that BN’s legitimacy had been questioned because it did not gain power by winning an election.
Mohamad also ensured that the party will continue to uphold good governance and speak for the Malay community - which he stated has lost a strong political standing, and in turn, be the voice.
This, he said, was in reference to the 17 per cent of Parliamentary seats currently held by the party, the lowest ever in the country's democratic history.
He warned Umno delegates present not to be comfortable with their recent Melaka and Johor state election wins, stating that there was a bigger war to be won in times ahead, which is GE15.
"We have yet to fully rise up as a party since we have been pushed aside by the Malay community back in 2018," he said, referring to the 14th General Election.
