KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 23 — Barisan Nasional (BN) and Umno’s loss in the 15th general election (GE15) should have made party members repent, the coalition’s treasurer-general, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said.

Taking to social media to answer questions on his political future, the Sembrong MP and former defence minister said that he remains loyal to Umno and “won’t go anywhere”.

He said that his naysayers who claim otherwise are just focused on “an effort to tarnish and deny me.”

“I am still an Umno guy... then, now and forever.

“In the 15th general election, BN lost badly. Only won 30 seats. A result that should have made us repent and made all of us aware, especially Umno and BN members. Truly, we need to make improvements and any corrections needed for this beloved party of ours,” he added.

He then reminisced about his own journey in politics, which began at the Sungai Mati Umno branch, under the Ledang division, which he said was never easy.

“The road forward will never be easy.

“There is too much work that needs to be done if we want to restore the rakyat’s confidence. We cannot take a misstep anymore. Since now there is some spare time, I am not as busy as before. God willing, I will use this available time as best as I can for the continuity and the future of the party.

“For grassroots party members, my advice is to strengthen your will, strengthen the line, and together we look forward, to the future and continuity of our fight, because in the end, realise and repent, we are all people of persistence,” he added.

Political analysts previously told the Malay Mail that the disastrous show displayed by Umno in the GE15 was a result of too much friction within the party.

University of Tasmania’s Professor of Asian Studies James Chin said Umno can only recover if it gets rid of the current leaders.

Several leaders including the Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi in Umno have since asked for Zahid to take responsibility for the party’s embarrassing defeat in GE15.

Among others, Shahril Sufian Hamadan has stepped down as the party’s information chief while Tan Sri Noh Omar resigned as Selangor Umno state liaison chief.

BN only managed to secure 30 parliamentary seats in the GE15 out of the 178 it contested.