Umno should go multi-racial — Nazri
KUALA LUMPUR: Umno should open up its membership to all Malaysians as part of a revamp following the 14th general election, said Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz.
The Umno Supreme Council member however said that it might be too early to talk about this as there would be nostalgic elements in the party that would object.
“It is my hope one day but it might not happen during my lifetime.
“I’m a Malaysian and I feel strong about that we should have party open to all Malaysians. All you need to do is to put IAN after Malays,” he told the Star Online.
He said Umno founder Datuk Onn Jaffar was visionary when he once proposed that the party should be open to all.
“He’s been proven right. Then it was just idealism but now it’s reality,” said Nazri.
“What is so valuable about Umno that is must be Malay based, when over the years Malays themselves feel they don’t want to be like that?” added Nazri.
The Padang Rengas MP of six terms also acknowledged that Umno might become more right wing or become an extremist Islamist party if they didn’t open up their membership to nonMalays and non-Muslims.
“That’s what I fear,” quipped the former Tourism Minister when asked about this.
He also said that it was time to forget about Barisan Nasional as a whole but to focus on strengthening Umno.
Umno won 54 seats in the May 9 polls compared to the 88 they won in the 2013 polls.
Nazri however pointed out that they were still the strongest individual party in terms of the number of seats won in parliament.
“Umno is a 72-year-old party. I see more positives than negatives in being an old party. We just need to change here and there, bring in more young politicians. People like me have dominated the party for 40 years,” he said.
He said that the party’s strength lied in their mass grassroots ecosystem and infrastructure.
“Umno is a grassroots mass movement. They have been doing social work, helping the poor. That is where our strength lies,” he said adding that these grassroots members do not leave the party easily.
He said that even though Barisan Nasional lost the elections, the branch meetings in his area have seen high attendance rates, something which he didn’t expect.
He added that the party should get rid of old habits and freely allow people to join the party rather than consider them as threats.
“The party is old, but the leadership is also old. If there is a younger generation, it will be seen to be more vibrant and energetic,” said Nazri.
As for now, Nazri said that Umno will have to try and be a good opposition to the government.
“It will be tough, as there is no precedent of Umno being the opposition. We will have to learn from our friends in Kelantan. Some have experience in Selangor, Penang and Kedah.
“We have to adjust accordingly. We have to continue as a party,” he said.