9 Controversial Things UMNO Leaders Said During Their Latest Assembly
The 2016 UMNO General Assembly kicked off on Tuesday, 29 November.
By Nandini Balakrishnan — 01 Dec 2016, 07:03 PM
Political analysts predicted that the 2016 UMNO General Assembly will see fiery speeches that are stoked with pro-Malay sentiments
In an exclusive with Malay Mail Online, Ooi Kee Beng, deputy director of ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, said that the UMNO delegates and leader will speak more about pro-Malay issues to diffuse any possibilities of facing political threats from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM).
The new party is led by former prime minister, Tun Dr Mahathir who was also the longest serving UMNO president and Malaysian PM. When the party was launched in early August, the party members mentioned that non-Malays will only be allowed second-tier membership in the political party.
The party's main goal was said to be focused on defending Islam and the Bumiputera community, which is rather in line with UMNO's age-old principles.
"This AGM will see a show of anger and affirmation of who Umno’s most threatening enemies are, and also call for punitive action against Mahathir and his followers.
"Seeing how PPBM can potentially eat into the party’s constituency, there will be a big demonstration by delegates in support of Malay rights as an attempt to distract from the arguments around corruption, the ringgit and the economy," said Ooi to Malay Mail Online in a report on 29 November.
True to his word, there were numerous occasions when UMNO leaders spewed comments that are slanted towards upholding Bumiputera and UMNO supremacy.
Here are nine quotes we found in just two days since the UMNO General Assembly started on 29 November:
The 2016 UMNO General Assembly which involves 5,732 delegates kicked-off on Tuesday, 29 November and will go on for five days.
1. "The time is getting closer to GE14, avoid break-ups as we can prevent political doom, which if it happens, will mean the Malays will be colonised and not able to recover," said Ledang Wanita UMNO head Khairin Nisa' Ismail.
The Wanita UMNO delegate said that when reminding party members that the 14th General Election (GE14) will serve as the "father of all elections" which mustn't be taken lightly or else it may be the end of Malay politics .
Bernama reported that she spoke about the importance of the "win" mentality and that the election could cost the future of the UMNO-led government and the Malay race.
2. "Everyone knows the majority stake is held by PNB (Permodalan Nasional Bhd) so why is the CEO and the GM (general manager) in Penang ethnic Chinese?" asked Bagan delegate Hamidah Arshad.
During the annual general assembly at the PWTC yesterday, 30 November, Bagan delegate Hamidah Arshad posed questions on why non-Malays are hired as top-level officers in government-linked companies (GLCs).
"I urge the leadership to pay more attention to the appointments in GLCs. For example, developer SP Setia Bhd.
"What's happening now is that other races are holding top positions and this means contractors, consultants and lawyers appointed are all from their race," added Hamidah, alleging that these GLCs do not appoint Malay contractors, as reported by Malaysiakini yesterday, 30 November.
3. "Is it difficult to give the 30%? We are in power. Just give it to the (Malay) women entreprenuers out there," stressed Pasir Putih Wanita chief Zurina Ripin when asking the government to provide 30% of government contracts for food supply and manufacturing.
The Malay Mail Online reported on 30 November that Pasir Putih Wanita chief Zurina Ripin had asked for the allocation of government contracts on food manufacturing to be given to the women's wing.
"We want 30% of government contracts. There are plenty of ministries so what is wrong if we get 30% of the food (supply or manufacturing) contracts," said Zurina, as reported by The Malay Mail.
It was also reported that the request has been unanimously passed on the same day.
4. "No other president or prime minister had come to visit those who were sick, or those who had just lost their loved ones, or even attend a mass circumcision ceremony," said UMNO Wanita chief Shahrizat Abdul Jalil when praising Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
She also said that having worked with both the former prime ministers, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, she believes that PM Najib Razak is a better prime minister compared to the former two.
Free Malaysia Today also reported Sharizat as saying that she "really respected" PM Najib Razak.
5. "If our faith is subverted and if we are split up, we Malays will face destruction," reminded Wanita UMNO chief Sharizat Abdul Jalil.
Sharizat warned that if the Malays are disunited and stray from Islamic beliefs, their community will break up and be destroyed.
"If the Malays are no longer united, we will be destroyed," she added.
5. "God, do not let this country, and the fate of this race (Malays) fall into the hands of traitors and the wicked," prayed PM Najib Razak.
Najib said this during his opening speech at the UMNO general assembly yesterday, 30 November.
"Oh great God, we promise to fight to the death until we have spilled our last drop of blood," added Najib, as reported by Malaysiakini today, 1 December.
6. The Chinese community will face severe backlash if they continue shunning Barisan Nasional, warned UMNO Youth vice-chief Khairul Azwan Harun.
He specifically said that if the Chinese people don't accept BN's inclusive spirit, they can expect to lose government allocations, contracts and aid, reported Free Malaysia Today, yesterday, 30 November.
Azwan also revealed that if more Bumiputera-based parties win in the next general elections, the government will start focusing more on the interests of the race group that actually contributed to the win.
They may even abolish Chinese schools completely.
"If they give more to Chinese schools, but more Chinese do not support or vote for us, then it is counterproductive," added Azwan.
7. "We have to remember we are in a time where Allah has put Datuk Seri Najib as our president. It is fate that Allah wanted it that way," said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
"I urge all members not just pledge your loyalty through your mouths. The pledge should also be in actions as that is what is wanted by our religion.
"To make Umno strong forever, loyalty should be practised by all members. No matter what criticism or rumours are thrown towards the party president, it cannot falter, my loyalty to him," said the DPM at the opening of the general assemblies on Tuesday, 29 November.
8. "We want to develop Islam. Non-Muslims must understand that this is not about hudud but about empowering the sharia courts," said PM Najib Razak.
After months of skirting around strict Islamic laws like Hudud that PAS has been pushing for, PM Najib finally expressed his support for it, saying that it was the responsibility of Muslims to support the adoption of hudud.
"This is my speech as UMNO president, so my main audience are UMNO members and the Malays and bumiputera. It doesn’t mean we don’t care at all about the others, but this is an UMNO assembly," explained the prime minister, as reported by Free Malaysia Today on 29 November.
9. "Should the country fall into the hands of DAP, who champion extreme liberalism and dangerous secularism, surely the special rights and privileges that has been advocated and defended by Umno over the years, including bumiputra institutions such as Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara), Felda, Risda, Felcra and the Bumiputra Agenda Steering Unit (Teraju) will become extinct and disappear," said PM Najib Razak.
English daily, The Star reported today, 1 December that PM Najib Razak has reminded Malays that Bumiputera rights will be gone if Malaysia is led by a DAP government.
"Surely we as Muslims will be worried, hurt and angry, when Islam and its practice will certainly be trivialised if DAP comes into power," added PM Najib at the opening of the 2016 UMNO General Assembly today.
BONUS: Amongst all the Malay driven speeches, an UMNO delegate actually made this constructive suggestion - "Make Mandarin mandatory in all government schools. Why not since the schools already have additional language subjects."
UMNO Pasir Salak chief Datuk Dr Wan Norashikin made this statement when debating on their motion on education.
She said that making the Mandarin language a compulsory subject in local school would be beneficial and in line with Malaysia's newly strengthened ties with China.
"And in line with the government's success in attracting investment from China. This makes Mandarin important for our success.
"We can have a more sophisticated and world class generation students," added Dr Wan.