Moderation key for Umno to regain public support, says Zambry
Umno Supreme Council member Zambry Abdul Kadir says the party has never adopted extreme politics.
PUTRAJAYA: Umno must champion the principle of moderation to help the party regain public support, according to one of its leaders.
Umno Supreme Council member Zambry Abdul Kadir said the party, which led the Barisan Nasional government for 41 years until 2018, has never adopted extreme politics.
Noting that there are numerous racial and religious issues currently being played up, the BN secretary-general acknowledged that a small faction of its members may also be voicing out such sentiments.
“But I am convinced that BN and Umno’s leadership will ultimately adhere to the principles of the party’s struggles and remain on the middle path,” said the higher education minister.
“We have to remain relevant with the principle we have brought to Malaysia all this time, that is, the principle of moderation.”
The former Perak menteri besar was commenting on how Umno could regain public support, which began to decline after BN lost Putrajaya in the 2018 general election.
Umno won only 19 of the 108 state seats it contested at last year’s elections in six states, following an equally dismal performance in the 15th general election in November 2022, where it claimed only 26 of the 120 constituencies it contested.
Touching on the controversy surrounding Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh, who is being investigated after two reports were lodged against him over comments linked to the sale of socks bearing the word “Allah” at a KK Mart outlet, Zambry reminded Umno members not to “forget our position as a party based on the principle of moderation”.
Yesterday, Inspector-General of Police Razarudin Husain said police are completing the investigation paper on Akmal and will submit it to the Attorney-General’s Chambers for further action within five days.
Razarudin confirmed that the case is being investigated for sedition and misuse of network facilities.
The recording of Akmal’s statement comes amid his push for a boycott of KK Mart, which has been embroiled in a controversy after socks bearing the word “Allah” were found being sold at its Bandar Sunway outlet.
Akmal has continued to spearhead the movement against the chain, despite the immediate apology tendered by its founder Chai Kee Kan, the court action against Chai and director Loh Siew Mui, and a call by the king not to prolong the controversy.
Since the boycott started, three KK Mart outlets – at Bidor, Perak; Kuantan, Pahang; and Kuching, Sarawak – have been attacked with petrol bombs.
Boikot is the only language UMNO understands.
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