Umno's direction is clear, now the state polls await

SHAH ALAM - The 2023 Umno General Assembly successfully achieves the goal of providing a clear image to over three million Umno grassroots supporters on why the party is cooperating with Pakatan Harapan (PH) and DAP until the 16th General Election (GE16).

However, whether the grassroots could accept the cooperation was a secondary issue as the assessment of the effectiveness of the move depended on the party's performance after forming a coalition government under Putrajaya in the state polls and the people's economic recovery.

02 Research chief researcher Anis Anwar Suhaimi said the Umno-DAP relationship was similar to water and oil that required more time to mix and heal each other from past wounds.

"That matter was proven through the cooperation of the unity government in this term where Umno will continue to hold the purpose of its establishment and DAP will continue to uphold the Federal Constitution and the Rukun Negara principle.

"The 2023 General Assembly is also a platform for the grassroots to deliver a message to DAP's strategic partners to apologise if they want their political temperature to be eased and existing political stability to last," he told Sinar Premium.

Anis said the Malay and youth voters support the 2023 Umno General Assembly which would lead to Umno's commitment as Malay political representatives in the government.

He believed the Youth and Puteri wings must be given a bigger space by the grassroot leadership.

"This is because they positioned themselves as the wings that youth voters can trust to be an effective check and balance agents in the government.

"If this space is not given, youth voters in particular would see the Youth wing in Umno having difficulties hoping for a new leadership and the aspirations of the youth to be preserved," he said.

Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Media and Information Warfare Centre security and political analyst Dr Noor Nirwandy Mat Noordin said the general assembly succeeded in achieving its goal as a field for Umno's internal political reconciliation in addition to clarifying the direction of the party.

Nirwandy explained the reconciliation process was important to form a new understanding among Umno members and supporters about their position in the unity government with PH and DAP.

Nirwandy did not reject the possibility that a large portion of Umno members might need more time to cooperate with PH and DAP instead of Perikatan Nasional (PN) to form a unity government in Putrajaya.

"The general assembly saw Umno continued to fight for Malay-Muslim rights, importance and position in the country despite being with PH and DAP in the unity government.

"The reconciliation process is important for Umno to enable the party to remain relevant in the eyes of voters especially Malay-Muslims in the upcoming state election," he said.