'We aim to replace Umno': Bersatu rebrands with core principles
Democracy, moderation, and inclusiveness at the heart of Bersatu’s vision
KOUSALYA SELVAM ASHWIN KUMAR
SHAH ALAM - Bersatu has unveiled a set of core principles to distinguish itself from past political movements, particularly Umno, and to solidify its position as a centre-right party ahead of the next general election (GE16).
Bersatu Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah said that the party’s commitment to "rekayasa," or re-engineering, was crucial for its future direction.
"It's about reshaping our identity. This is a new party that aims to replace Umno," he said in an exclusive interview with Sinar Daily.
Saifuddin explained that the party began this formal process last year with the launch of Buku Idealisme, a manifesto outlining Bersatu’s ideological direction and a unique set of guiding principles.
Five Core Principles
At the heart of Bersatu's re-engineering are five core principles: democracy, moderation, inclusiveness, integrity, and prihatin (caring).
The Indera Mahkota MP stressed that these principles are key to setting Bersatu apart from previous political entities and ensuring it remains distinct and relevant.
"These five main principles will differentiate us from the past. More importantly, this is our effort to ensure that Bersatu becomes a center-right party.
"We know we are not a leftist party, but we do not want to become a right-wing party either. That’s not what we are," he clarified.
Expanding on this, Saifuddin stated that while Bersatu positions itself as a Malay-Bumiputera party, it rejects the notion of Malay supremacy, emphasising inclusiveness.
He described that this inclusive stance was evident in the party's structure, which features the 'Sayap Bersekutu' wing and includes prominent non-Muslim leaders, such as Vice President Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee, who represents Sabah.
"We are a Malay-Bumiputera party, but we don’t believe in Malay supremacy. That’s why we are inclusive. We have 'Sayap Bersekutu,' and we have Ronald Kiandee, a non-Muslim, as Vice President representing Sabah," he said.
