Umno Man Questions Alliance With Dap After Polls Setback

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Umno Supreme Council member Isham Jalil said it is pointless to win some votes from DAP supporters, ‘but lose 5,000 grassroots votes’.PETALING JAYA: Umno Supreme Council member Isham Jalil has questioned the party’s alliance with DAP after registering huge losses in yesterday’s state elections.
Umno won only 19 of the 108 state seats it contested, following an equally dismal performance in the 15th general election last November, where it claimed only 26 of the 120 constituencies it contested.
In a Facebook post, Isham said he had encountered party members who voiced their concerns about partnering with DAP while campaigning for the state elections.
He said the party needs to “resolve the DAP issue”, and suggested that Umno consider cooperating with DAP in the government only, and not in elections.
By opting for such a strategy, he said, Umno might be able to rebuild itself by maintaining its ideology and struggle.
Isham said although Umno might lose or be unable to register huge wins in the beginning, at least it would be able to maintain its grassroots support and slowly win the hearts of the people.
“Or else, we will lose our grassroots to another party,” he cautioned.
“There is no point winning 500 votes from DAP but losing 5,000 grassroots votes.”
Meanwhile, former Terengganu Umno chief Idris Jusoh called on party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to resign after Umno was wiped out in Terengganu.
Earlier, Umno Youth permanent chairman Wan Agyl Wan Hassan said the party’s poor showing in the six state elections was a “slap” in the face as it proved that Umno had lost its relevance.
Another Umno Supreme Council member, Puad Zarkashi, echoed Wan Agyl’s sentiments, and called for the party to set a “new narrative”.
He also suggested that Umno should no longer field candidates aged 45 and above. - FMT

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