KUALA LUMPUR: Umno has called upon MCA and MIC to back the Umno-Pas Muafakat Nasional political consensus, which the Barisan Nasional (BN) lynchpin has described as the “new deal’ to win back support from the people.
Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, in appealing to BN leaders, urged them to support Pas in realising the spirit of the Muafakat Nasional agreement inked between the two former political foes on Sept 14.
In his policy speech at the party’s 73rd General Assembly here today, Ahmad Zahid also extended the appeal to the leaders of Friends of BN, as well as leaders of Sarawak and Sabah-based political parties.
“To our comrades in component parties and the Friends of BN, let’s provide our support to the Pas leadership in order to realise the Muafakat Nasional (National Unity political consensus).
“Not forgotten also are our friends in Sabah and Sarawak. I welcome all of you to be part of Muafakat Nasional,” he said.
This is the second year Umno is convening its General Assembly as a party in the opposition bloc.
Present was Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and the party’s three vice-presidents – Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin and Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid.
Also in attendance were Pas president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, MCA president Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong and MIC president Tan Sri SA Vigneswaran.
Zahid also described the Muafakat Nasional as a new narrative that would help the party remain resilient and relevant in the local and international political arena.
“The party’s transformation is on-going, in line with the political quest of the 21st century. We must learn from the fall of some of the world’s dominant parties in the ‘Grand Old Party’ grouping.
“Some have faded away. Some were beaten, but revived. Hence, Umno needs to come up with a new political narrative if it wishes to stay relevant in both domestic and international politics.
“Sept 14 marked a historic event when the Muafakat Nasional was established and inked.
“Muafakat Nasional will be the new deal for the people and we will offer a million potentials that had never crossed our minds before. Thanks to Allah, our dream of seeing the unification of the Malays has been met, with no intention to sideline other races,” he said.
Zahid insisted that Umno, through Muafakat Nasional, will not change its approach in forming the government using the ‘back-door’ approach, as the option is still ‘widely-open’.
“Although the front and back doors are flung open now, we will enter from the front. We will chart our own government in accordance with the Federal Constitution.
“However, in preparing ourselves for the next general election, there are still a lot of things that need to be done in Muafakat Nasional,” he added.