LUMUT: The Rumah Bangsa agenda introduced by Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is not meant solely for certain individuals but is open to all who wish to join the party, said party supreme council member Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir.
Zambry, who is also Barisan Nasional secretary-general, said it is open to everyone as it is based on collective action, with Umno serving as the platform of struggle not for specific individuals but for all, including former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin.
"So each has their own strengths, each has contributions that can be made as mentioned by the party president,” he said when met after the presentation ceremony of the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) Compassionate Cash Aid (BWI) for the Manjung district here on Saturday (March 7).
He said the concept being highlighted is rooted in Umno’s role as the "Rumah Bangsa” since its establishment in 1946, which brought together more than 100 Malay organisations to unite against the proposed Malayan Union.
"And it is a very good principle because the principle within the party, particularly in Umno and Barisan Nasional, is a mission of unity, a mission of peace, a mission of security and stability.
"That is the larger framework of the Umno party, Barisan Nasional and all its components as well as others, which is for us to maintain peace within this large Rumah Bangsa,” he said.
Zambry said the Rumah Bangsa initiative is a major and positive idea by the Umno president, who has openly called for those who had previously left the party to return with the spirit of Ramadan.
Earlier, several former Umno members gave various reactions following the announcement by Ahmad Zahid that the party was opening its doors widely to any former members who had been expelled, suspended or those who wish to return to the party.
Ahmad Zahid also informed that the Rumah Bangsa Committee, to be chaired by Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, will immediately coordinate the process through appropriate procedures based on the Umno constitution.
Meanwhile, Zambry, who is also Higher Education Minister, said the Dapur Siswa Madani initiative would be expanded to polytechnics nationwide to enable more students to benefit from the programme.
"In the past few days, I have visited several universities, including recently Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, to observe the operation of the initiative.
"I have also requested that polytechnics be included as well,” he said.
Last January, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced an allocation of RM15mil for the implementation of the free meal and food bank initiative known as Dapur Siswa Madani, channelled from unused funds under the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) programme from the previous year.- Bernama
