Stand by our leaders, Puteri Umno chief urges party members
Puteri Umno chief Datuk Zahida Zarik Khan lamented the fact that party members were a disunited lot, saying that they must always support their leaders instead of constantly doing things that weakened them.
“Look at our opponents. When their leaders were attacked, they remained steadfast behind their leaders. We, on the other hand, when our leaders are being attacked by many, some of us also joined the bandwagon.
“The principle of defending the presidential institution is somehow far from us. Look how many times they were defeated in the elections, yet they did not insist their president step down,” she said at the wing’s general assembly.
“We appreciate the leaders only when we lose them. This is what happened to the phenomenon of ‘Bossku’.”
After Barisan Nasional’s (BN) dismal performance in the recent general election, many people, including Umno leaders, had called for Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to step down.
They said Zahid should be “bighearted” and take responsibility for the outcome of the election.
Stepping down, they said, would allow Umno to implement major changes and improve the reputation of the party.
Zahida also called on Umno ministers and deputy ministers to stand out and “become the best performing group” in the unity government.
She said party leaders had been trained in the “school of Umno” to provide service to the people.
Umno leaders, she added, were natural leaders whenever they were part of the administration as they were trained to be the best.
“If we compare it with a football team, Argentina and (Lionel) Messi would be from Umno.
“This government must be a world-class government. This (world-class government) is made possible as the best players come from Umno.
“The players (ministers and deputies) were born from the school of Umno.”
Zahida said as a party that was proud of its track record, it should become the benchmark for the other parties in the unity government.
She said Umno ministers and deputy ministers showed good performances prior to BN’s defeat in the 14th General Election in 2018.
Zahida also urged for the establishment of an Umno academy or institute to be expedited.
“We have talked about this for a long time, but it has yet to happen.
“Why? Is it because people still think that Umno’s leadership is something that is shaped naturally based on an old system that may not be suitable for the future?
“Without this institution, we will not be able to produce leaders who are serious in dealing with the economy, legal matters, security, the environment, and national issues that are increasingly complicated and require leadership to solve them.”