Umno accepts Ahmad Maslan’s explanation on DAP remarks
The Umno supreme council has accepted party secretary-general Ahmad Maslan’s explanation over the brouhaha that ensued from his comments on DAP, made last week.
Supreme council member Puad Zarkashi said Ahmad had explained to the party’s top leadership that he did not urge Umno members to support DAP, but candidates fielded by the coalition government.
“Ahmad explained that his actual words were to support the unity government candidates. That is all, he did not mention DAP.
“And we have accepted the explanation. We want the unity government to remain until the end of the term,” he said.
Puad said this to reporters after the Umno supreme council meeting at the party’s headquarters in Kuala Lumpur last night.
Last week, Ahmad urged Umno and BN supporters to back other unity government coalitions or component parties during the upcoming state election.
Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan
He did not specifically mention DAP.
His comment received brickbats, particularly from Perikatan Nasional chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin.
Muhyiddin, a former Umno deputy president, said that an Umno leader asking party members to support DAP went against the party’s principles.
The Pagoh MP added that it should be up to the members whether to respond to the call or not.
On Wednesday, Ahmad’s colleague and Umno supreme council member Isham Jalil was quoted saying that party supporters might feel “kecil hati” (slighted) if forced to support DAP candidates in the upcoming state elections.
“There is no need to praise DAP too much or else our supporters will be discouraged, and that will be a problem for us. We do not need to be DAP apologists, they are not doing the same for us.
"Our supporters will not like it and might vote for others, which we do not want.
“We cannot lose our voter base. If we want to win new votes and lose our existing ones, we are finished,” he was quoted saying by The Star.
Isham added that he was confident DAP could win seats in its strongholds without the help from Umno voters.
Meanwhile, Sabah Umno chief Bung Moktar Radin said that seat allocations for the state elections would be finalised by the end of this month.
He did not specifically mention DAP.
His comment received brickbats, particularly from Perikatan Nasional chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin.
Muhyiddin, a former Umno deputy president, said that an Umno leader asking party members to support DAP went against the party’s principles.
The Pagoh MP added that it should be up to the members whether to respond to the call or not.
On Wednesday, Ahmad’s colleague and Umno supreme council member Isham Jalil was quoted saying that party supporters might feel “kecil hati” (slighted) if forced to support DAP candidates in the upcoming state elections.
“There is no need to praise DAP too much or else our supporters will be discouraged, and that will be a problem for us. We do not need to be DAP apologists, they are not doing the same for us.
"Our supporters will not like it and might vote for others, which we do not want.
“We cannot lose our voter base. If we want to win new votes and lose our existing ones, we are finished,” he was quoted saying by The Star.
Isham added that he was confident DAP could win seats in its strongholds without the help from Umno voters.
Meanwhile, Sabah Umno chief Bung Moktar Radin said that seat allocations for the state elections would be finalised by the end of this month.
Sabah Umno chief Bung Moktar Radin
BN and Pakatan Harapan have agreed to cooperate in the state elections, following their agreement at the federal level.
Penang, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu are due to hold their state elections in the second half of this year.
BN and Pakatan Harapan have agreed to cooperate in the state elections, following their agreement at the federal level.
Penang, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu are due to hold their state elections in the second half of this year.
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