KUALA LUMPUR: Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan has reminded the party's members of parliament and state assemblymen to always go to the ground to appreciate the people and grassroots for their undivided support.
Likening a victorious candidate to a blushing bride on the 'pelamin' (wedding dais), he said it was not difficult to win the hearts of the Malays if they are appreciated for their sacrifices.
"When you win, look after your constituency. As the saying goes, "Jinjang dinaiki, tangga dituruni. Jika dah naik pelamin, jangan tak turun-turun." (Don't wear out your welcome).
"Yes, it's fun to stay on the wedding dais but the people organising the wedding are bound to get tired after working so hard. Go down and thank them so that the wedding becomes a good memory.
"It's not hard to capture the hearts of the Malays but it becomes difficult when they become weary of you. Don't let it get to that stage," he said during his winding-up speech at the 2024 Umno General Assembly at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTC) here today.
Mohamad reminded party members not to use its victory in the Nenggiri by-election as a benchmark to win the Mahkota state seat in Johor.
He said the situation in both states is different and Umno requires a different strategy to win in Mahkota.
"Just because we won by a 5,000 majority vote in Nenggiri, it does not mean we will win in Mahkota. It is a different field and a different game.
"(Hence) everyone should go to the ground to help and work and not merely be a 'tourist' for politics.
"Help and ensure we can also maintain the victory in the Mahkota state seat," he said.
Mohamad, who is also Foreign Minister, said Malaysia wants to be seen as an Asean chair which can resolve the region's geopolitical issues.
He said Malaysia, as the Asean chair, wants to play the role effectively.
"The whole world is looking at us. The world wants Malaysia to be an effective Asean chair which can resolve the problems in the South China Sea, in Myanmar, its maritime borders as well as Southeast Asia's.
"This is a large responsibility which we must fulfill together," he said.
Mohamad said Malaysia's interest in joining inter-governmental organisation BRICS (comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) is not about participating in defence treaties but geared towards economic interests.
He said BRICS' gross domestic product (GDP) comprises 37 per cent of the global GDP and involves 41 per cent of the world population.
"This isn't a group which requires us to sign any treaty. It is an unofficial group for us to voice how the Global South, which has long been sidelined, can get its voice heard by the international community," he said.
On Palestine, Mohamad said Malaysia will continue to carry the voice of the Palestinian struggle to the global stage.
"The atrocities did not begin on October 7. Palestinians have been killed, chased out of their homes and homeland since 75 years ago."