Umno wings go into ‘war mode’

Umno Youth Chief Khairy Jamaluddin.

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno’s three wings have entered into what its Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin has described as “war mode”, taking their fight against their political nemeses to the ballot box.

During their respective assemblies yesterday, leaders and delegates from Wanita, Youth and Puteri focused on preparations for the next general election and trained their guns at the party’s top enemies, namely DAP and the 3Ms – Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, his son Datuk Seri Mukhriz and sacked party deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Khairy pointed out in his speech that the assembly was being held at a time when Umno and Barisan Nasional were about to face a big test in the election.

“This means we are now entering war mode. This could possibly be the last general assembly before the elections.

“With this opportunity, we ring the alarm bells, beat the war drums and fire the starting gun to signal to our machinery and all members of the party to get ready to fight.”

Barisan Nasional’s full five-year term runs through to 2018 but many expect GE14 to be held earlier, possibly next year.

Wanita Umno chief Tan Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said the outcome of the GE14 would only create one of two scenarios.

The first is victory for a multi-racial power-sharing Barisan, with Umno as its backbone. The second, she said, was a Government formed by a DAP-led grouping which could see the Malays being sidelined.

“Malaysians need to make a choice, between an Umno-led Barisan government or a DAP-led one which only cares about its own people,” said Shahrizat.

Puteri Umno chief Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin urged her delegates never to let their guard down on the possibility of foreign interference in Malaysian politics.

The three leaders also singled out Dr Mahathir, Mukhriz, Muhyiddin in their speeches.

Khairy said Dr Mahathir, when he was Prime Minister, crushed street demonstrations with an iron fist but is today supporting rallies to overthrow the country’s leaders.

“Their readiness in doing U-turns is not for principles, but for the sake of gaining power.”

Shahrizat, without naming Dr Mahathir, said the movement was angered and saddened over how a long-serving leader who had told them to attack Opposition figures such as Lim Kit Siang could now make a U-turn and attack Umno instead.

“We cannot accept this use of a personal agenda to topple the Government,” said Shahrizat.