PETALING JAYA: Umno Youth chief Datuk Dr Akmal Saleh has suggested that it may be time for him to step aside, after having done his best to voice the concerns of the grassroots.
In a cryptic post on Wednesday morning (Jan 7), he said he had done his best and conveyed the party's grassroots message as clearly as he could.
"Perhaps the shortcomings lie within myself.
"Perhaps the time has come for me to step aside.
"Thank you for all your voices that care deeply about this struggle.
"I believe that if our intentions are sincere for the sake of religion, race and the nation,
God willing, the time will come," he said on social media.
ALSO READ: Umno Youth to convene on Jan 3 to weigh severing ties with Pakatan, says Akmal
On Tuesday (Jan 6), Dr Akmal expressed his appreciation to Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for his willingness to review several motions raised at the recent special Umno Youth Convention last Saturday (Jan 3).
The Merlimau state assemblyman said the party could begin by examining an appropriate form of cooperation in the interest of Malay unity, describing this as the right time to initiate such efforts.
“Thank you, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, for agreeing to several motions from the recent special Umno Youth Convention.
“First, efforts towards Malay unity should begin with cooperation between the two largest Malay-based parties, Umno and PAS. Second, to reject any proposal to engineer a so-called ‘tebuk atap’ (backdoor) government,” the Umno Youth chief said.
Ilham Centre, an independent research firm, has dissociated itself from the findings presented by one of its researchers during last Saturday’s special Umno Youth convention. The study allegedly found that among the 800 Umno respondents, 62% cannot accept the working relationship between Umno and DAP in the government.
