Zahid says aware of calls to step down, but party's leadership will share blame for Umno’s dismal showing in state polls

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 15 — Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has reportedly said he is aware of calls for him to step down as Umno president for the party’s dismal showing in the six state elections.

In an interview today, The Star reported that Ahmad Zahid said that while he admits his responsibility over Umno's performance, the party's leadership will shoulder the task of turning the ship around.

“I am aware of such calls [to step down]. What I can pledge is that I, with the help of the party’s leadership, will do more to regain the people’s confidence.

“We will scrutinise our approach and strategies. We will adopt new ones, so we can win over the hearts and minds of voters again,” he was quoted as saying in the English daily.

Since Sunday, there have been growing calls for Ahmad Zahid to resign as Umno president following the party’s poor showing in the six state elections on the day before.

Ahmad Zahid was reported saying that this is not the first time that an Umno president has been pressured to take responsibility by stepping down.

“It has happened before, including to Pak Lah and also to Najib, when election results did not favour us,” he said, referring to former party presidents Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

“While I take responsibility for the outcome of the elections, [Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani] pointed out, it should be the collective responsibility of the Umno leadership.”

The Bagan Datuk MP was referring to Abdullah who stepped down as prime minister and Umno president in 2009 after Barisan Nasional (BN) had faired poorly in the previous year’s general election.

In the 2018 general election, Najib resigned as Umno president when BN lost federal power to the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition.

Ahmad Zahid was also reported saying that one of the issues that needed to be addressed was the party’s cooperation with DAP in the unity government.

He said that there were Umno members who were still confused over the cooperation despite the party having several sessions to address the issue.

This, Ahmad Zahid said, might have affected the party in the state elections.

Yesterday, Johari was reported saying that all Umno leaders must collectively take responsibility for BN’s dismal performance.

Umno, the sole party representing BN, won just 19 out of 108 seats in the Kedah, Kelantan, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Penang, and Terengganu elections on Saturday.

The Malay-based party was wiped out in Terengganu and Kedah after failing to win a single seat. Umno won only two seats in Penang and Selangor, and one in Kelantan. However, the party managed to secure 14 seats in Negeri Sembilan.