KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 18 (Bernama) -- The UMNO 2025 General Assembly which concluded yesterday was seen as having eased internal tensions and provided clarity on the party's direction to members at the grassroots level.
Political analyst Prof Datuk Dr Sivamurugan Pandian said UMNO president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's assertion of the party's stance to continue supporting the Unity Government had successfully closed the door to speculation and helped prevent greater internal divisions.
"This assembly is stabilising and unifying... it has successfully set the basic line of the party's direction in the current political environment," he told Bernama.
UMNO president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, in his presidential policy speech on Friday, stressed that the party would continue to support the Unity Government to ensure political stability and the country's well-being.
This was despite Ahmad Zahid's statement that the party had received offers of political cooperation from other parties, and that there had previously been calls from the Youth wing for UMNO to leave the government.
Sivamurugan said the focus has now shifted to ground work to ensure that UMNO is united in facing the Melaka and Johor state elections and the 16th general election (GE16).
Analyst from Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) Dr Md Shukri Shuib said members' understanding of the direction of the party's struggle is important so that grassroots work can translate the aspirations of the party's leadership, thus being able to face attacks from opponents.
Meanwhile, he is of the view that this general assembly is seen as a manifestation of Malay unity through the idea of Rumah Bangsa to enable UMNO to once again become a magnet for Malays in the future.
"At both the national and state levels, the party's preparations are more evident in efforts to bring UMNO's aspirations into the upcoming elections, thus showing a more dynamic unification of Malays," he said.
Ahmad Zahid in his presidential policy speech said UMNO plays the role of Rumah Bangsa, which is a place to reunite Malays.
-- BERNAMA
