Reconsider polls decision or drop all contests, says Ismail
Ismail Sabri Yaakob said in order to gain the confidence of the people, there must be changes in Umno first.
KUALA LUMPUR: Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob says if the party’s top two posts are to be uncontested to avoid a split, it would be best if all other positions were also uncontested.
Ismail said that the decision not to contest the president and deputy president’s positions should be reconsidered.
“If you really don’t want a split in the party, there is no need to have an election for division chiefs at the grassroots level because if there is an election, there will still be a split. Why must the vice-presidents’ posts be contested? What about the Youth chief’s post?,” said Ismail.
“It’s not just a question of Umno being strong internally, the party needs the confidence of the people to come back stronger,” he said at a press conference after the Umno general assembly.
The people wanted to see changes taking place in Umno first before they placed their confidence in the party, he said.
Ismail said he was worried that the decision could erode younger people’s trust in Umno, and contradict the party’s rejuvenation process by not practising democracy.
“In debates, we talk a lot about restoring the youth’s trust in the party, about democracy, but this (decision not to contest) is against their idealism and the right to contest.
“I’m afraid that, not only will we be unable to attract the youths, we will also be pushing them away as they will not have faith in us,” he said.
He said Umno could also be seen as a party that does not give freedom to its members, especially in determining their leadership.
“There are representatives who say that there has been no contest all this time.
“But the difference is that when Dr Mahathir Mohamad was president for 22 years, there was no contest because no one wanted to contest, not because an order was issued, that is the difference,” he said.
Ismail said the confusion surrounding the election decision could be addressed by the Registrar of Societies.
Umno’s party elections must be held by May 19.
KUALA LUMPUR: Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob says if the party’s top two posts are to be uncontested to avoid a split, it would be best if all other positions were also uncontested.
Ismail said that the decision not to contest the president and deputy president’s positions should be reconsidered.
“If you really don’t want a split in the party, there is no need to have an election for division chiefs at the grassroots level because if there is an election, there will still be a split. Why must the vice-presidents’ posts be contested? What about the Youth chief’s post?,” said Ismail.
“It’s not just a question of Umno being strong internally, the party needs the confidence of the people to come back stronger,” he said at a press conference after the Umno general assembly.
The people wanted to see changes taking place in Umno first before they placed their confidence in the party, he said.
Ismail said he was worried that the decision could erode younger people’s trust in Umno, and contradict the party’s rejuvenation process by not practising democracy.
“In debates, we talk a lot about restoring the youth’s trust in the party, about democracy, but this (decision not to contest) is against their idealism and the right to contest.
“I’m afraid that, not only will we be unable to attract the youths, we will also be pushing them away as they will not have faith in us,” he said.
He said Umno could also be seen as a party that does not give freedom to its members, especially in determining their leadership.
“There are representatives who say that there has been no contest all this time.
“But the difference is that when Dr Mahathir Mohamad was president for 22 years, there was no contest because no one wanted to contest, not because an order was issued, that is the difference,” he said.
Ismail said the confusion surrounding the election decision could be addressed by the Registrar of Societies.
Umno’s party elections must be held by May 19.
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