PETALING JAYA: The daughter of Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has urged the party’s youth wing leader to exercise caution in voicing dissent publicly, warning that portraying the party as being at a “stay or leave” crossroads could undermine leadership and weaken party unity.
Datuk Nurulhidayah Ahmad Zahid said that while the concern and anxiety expressed by party youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh is understandable, Umno is a structured organisation where strategic decisions must follow legitimate party processes, not emotional pressure or immediate public mobilisation.
"From the perspective of leadership principles and organisational discipline, this statement carries several implications that need to be carefully considered," she said.
The Wanita Umno exco member noted that the narrative of “stay or leave, we decide” is a very weighty statement. She said it does not merely raise policy discussions but sends a signal as if the party’s strategic decisions can be determined through emotional pressure and immediate mobilisation, rather than through legitimate party structures and processes.
In Umno, the party’s direction is not determined by a single wing, let alone through public pressure that could be interpreted as an internal political threat, she said.
She cautioned that statements implying ultimatums risk creating the perception of internal division, which could not only weaken the president and top leadership but also provide ammunition to political opponents.
"Courage to speak must be balanced with the wisdom to uphold the dignity of the party," she added.
Nurulhidayah stressed the importance of constructive debate within party platforms.
“If the aim is to strengthen Umno, discussions must be reasoned and respectful, not driven by emotion or aimed at pressuring leadership. Umno is not the property of one generation, one wing, or the loudest individual. It is a trust built over decades, requiring patience, loyalty, and adherence to party structure,” she said.
She added that she welcomed the upcoming special Youth Convention, describing it as a “proper platform for debate,” and advised against turning to the street as a platform for party discourse.
“True young leaders who care for the party will choose to reinforce leadership, not weaken it, even when intentions are good,” she concluded.
In a TikTok video on Sunday (Dec 28), Dr Muhamad Akmal said Umno Youth will hold a special convention to determine whether the party should sever its ties with coalition partner Pakatan Harapan. The convention aims to gather grassroots opinions on the party’s continued support for the unity government.
According to Akmal, the decision comes after Puchong MP Yeo Bee Yin refused to apologise for a post celebrating the Kuala Lumpur High Court's rejection of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s house arrest bid.
The convention, titled ‘Hala Tuju Umno, Sama Ada Kekal Atau Keluar Dari Kerajaan’ (Umno’s Direction: Stay or Leave the Government?), will take place at 3pm on Saturday (Jan 3) at Dewan Tun Ismail, World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur. Akmal also encouraged leaders to attend and listen to grassroots sentiments.
Relations between Umno and coalition partner DAP have been strained since Yeo made a celebratory post on Facebook following the High Court's rejection of Najib's house arrest bid on Monday (Dec 22). The post triggered backlash from several Umno leaders, who condemned the remarks as insensitive and disrespectful.
On Saturday (Dec 27), Umno’s Puchong division announced that it had severed all political cooperation with Puchong Pakatan Harapan after Yeo failed to issue an apology within the given 24-hour period.
