There’ll be no ‘tsunami’ in GE15, says Tok Mat
Mohamad Hasan admitted that Umno needed to change with the times so that the people will change their perception of it. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA: Barisan Nasional (BN) deputy chairman Mohamad Hasan says he does not see a repeat of the “tsunami” that helped Pakatan Harapan (PH) take Putrajaya after the last general election (GE14).
In an interview with Utusan Malaysia, Mohamad, or better known as Tok Mat, said he feels the situation is “calmer” this general election (GE15).
“Back then, there was a wave (of support for PH), a tsunami. Now, there isn’t and it’s obvious. It’s calmer in this general election (GE15),” he added.
The Umno deputy president said the tensions between the contesting parties in GE14 could even be felt in coffee shops, where supporters would argue over politics.
In GE14, PH and its allies won 121 out of the 222 parliamentary seats, ending BN’s uninterrupted rule since Merdeka in 1957.
PH was later toppled in February 2020 when BN, Bersatu, PAS, and a faction led by PKR’s then deputy president, Azmin Ali, joined forces to form a new government led by Muhyiddin Yassin, who was then Bersatu president.
When asked if Umno was open to change, Tok Mat said it was inevitable.
“As a party, we need to always change with the times,” he said, adding it was so that the people will change their perception of it.
This, he said, involved “sacrificing many warlords” to make way for new faces.
“Otherwise, when will they (new faces) ever be given a chance (to lead)?”
BN dropped several big names for GE15, including ministers and deputy ministers, such as Annuar Musa, Shahidan Kassim, Dr Adham Baba, Noh Omar, Zahidi Zainul Abidin, and Halimah Sadique.
Former Pasir Salak MP Tajuddin Abdul Rahman was also dropped, following his six-year suspension from Umno.
PETALING JAYA: Barisan Nasional (BN) deputy chairman Mohamad Hasan says he does not see a repeat of the “tsunami” that helped Pakatan Harapan (PH) take Putrajaya after the last general election (GE14).
In an interview with Utusan Malaysia, Mohamad, or better known as Tok Mat, said he feels the situation is “calmer” this general election (GE15).
“Back then, there was a wave (of support for PH), a tsunami. Now, there isn’t and it’s obvious. It’s calmer in this general election (GE15),” he added.
The Umno deputy president said the tensions between the contesting parties in GE14 could even be felt in coffee shops, where supporters would argue over politics.
In GE14, PH and its allies won 121 out of the 222 parliamentary seats, ending BN’s uninterrupted rule since Merdeka in 1957.
PH was later toppled in February 2020 when BN, Bersatu, PAS, and a faction led by PKR’s then deputy president, Azmin Ali, joined forces to form a new government led by Muhyiddin Yassin, who was then Bersatu president.
When asked if Umno was open to change, Tok Mat said it was inevitable.
“As a party, we need to always change with the times,” he said, adding it was so that the people will change their perception of it.
This, he said, involved “sacrificing many warlords” to make way for new faces.
“Otherwise, when will they (new faces) ever be given a chance (to lead)?”
BN dropped several big names for GE15, including ministers and deputy ministers, such as Annuar Musa, Shahidan Kassim, Dr Adham Baba, Noh Omar, Zahidi Zainul Abidin, and Halimah Sadique.
Former Pasir Salak MP Tajuddin Abdul Rahman was also dropped, following his six-year suspension from Umno.
Actually, UMNO was very confident of winning GE14. There was even talk of winning back 2/3 majority .
ReplyDeleteThis was especially arising from a series of By-election wins by BN from 2014- 2017