Friday, May 6, 2011

Selangor PKR: Najib’s call hints at waning Malay support

May 06, 2011
Najib told Selangor Umno to use whatever “weapon was at their disposal” to win back the state. — file pic
KUALA LUMPUR, May 6 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s warning to Selangor Umno that a fractured Malay vote bloc was meaningless proves the party can no longer bank on support from Malay-majority areas in the state, Selangor PKR has claimed.

Selangor PKR information chief Shuhaimi Shafiei said Najib’s statement — meant to galvanise Selangor Umno into reclaiming the richest state in Malaysia — contained a note of worry despite the Umno president’s apparent confidence.

“He (Najib) clearly stated that Umno Selangor can no longer depend on Malay-majority constituencies to support Umno,” Shuhaimi said in a statement today.

The Sri Muda assemblyman added this also showed Najib was “anxious and concerned” about the effectiveness of the latter’s attempts to rebuild Malay confidence in Umno Selangor.

Najib called on Selangor Umno yesterday to forget its historic losses in Election 2008 and bounce back to help Barisan Nasional (BN) retake the state from the opposition in the next general election, which he said was “just around the corner”.

“We must not allow our image to continue to be besmirched and wallow because of the defeat,” he had said in a speech in Shah Alam last night.

Najib, who is also BN chairman, also said Selangor Umno must be ready to use whatever “weapon was at their disposal” to win back the state.

Shuhaimi also claimed Najib’s speech implicitly proved that Malay support for Pakatan Rakyat (PR) had increased to a comfortable level despite BN’s constant attacks against the opposition pact’s de facto leader, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

“Support from Malays in Satok and Balingian during the recent Sarawak state election showed that Sarawak Malays too have rejected BN,” he said.

“That reality worries Najib’s leadership in Selangor. Even though Kemas and other agencies were roped in to help register new voters and move Sabah voters to the target state constituency, it still alarms Najib.”

Shuhaimi said Najib’s concerns were likely due to internal upheavals in Selangor BN and the worsening leadership crisis in Selangor Umno.

“Power struggles and jealousy are increasing in Selangor Umno and there is a lack of co-ordination between the state Umno... and BN component parties like MCA, MIC and PPP,” he said.

He pointed out that “power crazy” Umno Selangor still behaved like the “big brother” in BN, causing partners MCA and MIC to feel “bullied”.

Shuhaimi added that Najib’s “clarion call” had only strengthened Selangor PKR’s resolve and determination to train its machinery as a neat and systematic force to help the people.


Source: Malaysian Insider

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