KUALA LUMPUR, March 16 — Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan today said that it is time for the party to become dominant in order for it to govern effectively. 

He said once the party becomes strong it can look after the Malays who have suffered since the party was defeated during the 2018 general elections. 

"We all need to honestly admit, our political power is not so strong. We just have a Prime Minister from Umno and it is not an Umno Government. Can we be proud of this position?

"Umno currently controls only 17 per cent of the seats in Parliament. What a loss this is for Umno’s position and influence to have the lowest percentage of seats in the history of Malaysian democracy,” he said in his opening speech for Woman, Youth and Puteri wings for the party at the World Trade Centre today.

Mohamad added that Umno should not continue to rule by relying on a memorandum of understanding, referring to the current government headed by the party’s vice president Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

"Sorry to say, our performance in the government does not show the expected confidence,” he said.

Mohamad reminded party members to not cooperate with their enemies both in Perikatan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan and instead urged them to be loyal to their friends who supported them during difficult times faced by the party. 

"To be sure, we will not invite a party that is openly formed to replace Umno. Moreover, DAP with its chauvinist agenda.

"And to the ‘mata keranjang’ (perverted eyes), who plays various pools, craves profit from all and falls in love with various enemies of Umno but at the same time tries to make love with Umno, Umno’s stance is ‘not with the cheater, we are only with those who are loyal,” he said referring to PAS who had actually cooperate with Umno through Muafakat Nasional in 2018 before joining Perikatan Nasional with Bersatu. 

Mohamad said political cooperation from now on for the purpose of forming a strong government, must be agenda based and not partnership based.

"Enough with the establishment of all forms of alliances, ranks and coalitions. It’s all just cosmetics. Not based on a common agenda for a better Malaysia. But just political tolerance for the sake of wanting to share power,” he said.