March 18, 2022
KUALA LUMPUR – The push for the country to go for national polls continues to grow with Umno Youth, Wanita and Puteri delegates voicing out their demand.
Citing the encouraging outcome of the Melaka and Johor elections, the party members felt that the time was right for a general election to be called as soon as possible
Umno Youth chief Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said the mandate must be returned to the people soon to choose their new government.
He said the people had suffered long enough under the “instability” of the Pakatan Harapan and Perikatan Nasional administrations, so the time was right to change to a more stable government. The people’s mandate, he said, had been taken for granted by politicians.
“When the people’s mandate is betrayed, this results in instability and the people suffer.
“We had spent 22 months under Pakatan, 18 months under Perikatan and almost eight months of Perikatan 2.0. Despite that, the country is still not stable and economic growth remains stunted.
“This is why we have no choice but to return the mandate to the people to make a choice. We have no reason to deny the people the right to seek a stable government,” he said in his policy speech.
Asyraf Wajdi pointed out that the Sarawak, Melaka and Johor elections were held safely amid a pandemic.
“We were able to hold these elections orderly and without problems. This is in line with the country’s aim to transition into endemicity,” he said.
Wanita chief Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad said the wing was already in election mode, noting that the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed with the Opposition would lapse on July 31.
She said there were indications that Umno supporters, following successful election outings, wanted a general election.
“Whatever date the election is held, we in the Wanita movement are ready,” she said.
Puteri Umno chief Datuk Zarida Zarik Khan also called for the general election to be held immediately and that the wing was ready for it.
She said the party should not listen to requests by opposition parties for the MOU to be extended till the end of the Parliament’s term.
“All this time, they have been trying to ‘kill’ us. Why should we bow to them and let them slay us again?” she asked.
Wanita delegates from Perlis and Perak want the “Umno Top 5” – president, deputy president and the three vice-presidents – to discuss the matter thoroughly to determine a matter that was crucial for “the religion, the race and the country”.
“The people can’t wait to give Barisan Nasional a new mandate,” said Perlis delegate Asmaiza Ahmad.
Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi noted that all three wings had voiced their hopes for the party to regain the mandate from the people.
“The Umno machinery should be ready for the possibility of a general election and the three wings, as well as state liaisons, have shown their readiness to deploy election machinery to face GE15,” he said.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who is also Umno vice-president, said Umno had yet to discuss internally about having a general election immediately.
“This needs to be discussed first with party members. The party has yet to discuss this,” he said.