Zahid seeks to unite Malay NGOs under ‘Rumpun Melayu’ banner with Islam at core

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 23 — Umno president Datuk Seri Ahamd Zahid Hamidi today said he plans to bring together all Malay non-governmental organisations under one banner, calling it “Rumpun Melayu”.

He said the Malays were being split further even as their political power is diminishing.

“To strengthen the agenda of power-sharing centred on Malay and Islamic principles, Umno will undertake a large-scale effort to unite Malay NGOs into a single movement. This movement, which I have named Rumpun Melayu.

“Through this movement, we will collaborate with organisations that share the spirit of defending power-sharing. We want this movement to serve as a platform to ensure that the Malay and Islamic agenda remains the core of any form of cooperation we seek to establish,” he told delegates at the Umno annual general meeting held at the World Trade Centre here.

Apart from that, Zahid also said Umno has outlined three political principles to face the new dynamics and current realities of the country's political landscape.

One is dominance of parliamentary seats to ensure Umno becomes the ruling party.

Secondly, being open to collaboration with political coalitions that accept Islam and Malay leadership as the core.

Thirdly, to ensure moderate politics by taking a middle-ground approach as a model for consensus that can maintain national stability.

“I have outlined these principles because the changing political landscape and voter attitudes have practically mapped out the composition of parliamentary seats. Based on the current scenario, the 222 parliamentary seats are now almost equally divided among the major parties.

“Currently, each party holds between 30 and 40 seats in Parliament. This situation requires Malaysia's democratic practice to reach a level of maturity. No party or coalition holds a simple majority to form the government, and some studies predict that this scenario will persist after the next general election,” he said.

He admitted the current practice poses a challenge for Umno “but it also opens the door for all parties to find common ground for the good of the country”.

“Cross-party collaboration to form the government is seen as the most significant outcome of this changing political landscape,” he said.

Zahid said such factors were not just about Umno’s survival but also about making it the decisive force in forming the government.

He said managing and governing a country should not be treated as an experiment to be tried every “five years”, adding that doing so could lead to “regret”.

Zahid lashed out at political rivals PAS and Bersatu in his two-hour long speech, likening them to the “tortoise” that hides the head but will stick its neck out only when it is strong “to sell out their principles”.

He said that unlike the current Opposition, Umno never sought to ratify the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD).

“Bersatu was once in government. Let us not forget, they were among those responsible for threatening the position of the Malays.

“The effort to adopt ICERD was brought forth by one of their leaders, who was a minister at the time. Even the prime minister was from Bersatu. We will not forget, even though he says Malays easily forget. If it weren’t for us, as the defenders of Malay sovereignty, who rose up in opposition, that convention would have been signed,” he said.

“PAS who hides behind religion when they were in government, what Islamic agenda did they bring?” he asked, rhetorically.

He alleged that the Islamist party was notably silent on Bill 355, the proposed amendments to the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 when it held federal power.

“Hudud was no longer their main agenda. And the Islamic state? Nowhere to be found.

“Malays need to realise this,” he said.

Zahid claimed the Malay Opposition parties “only know how to play on sentiments and emotions, not to strengthen the position of the Malays and Islam”.

He urged the Malay community not to be deceived or mesmerised by the Opposition’s eloquent speech as the impact on the nation's stability and harmony will be significant.