KOTA BHARU: Efforts to foster consensus and unity among Malay political parties are often disrupted by third parties, says Umno Secretary-General Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki.
He highlighted that these disruptions frequently occur when individuals bypass top party leadership to issue rogue statements on social media, sparking anxiety among grassroots members, reported Sinar Harian.
“Experience shows that efforts to build understanding and consensus are often thwarted by third parties,” Asyraf Wajdi said after officiating the Kota Bharu Umno Division Delegates’ Meeting on Saturday (Aug 8).
“In today’s borderless social media landscape, many self-proclaimed heroes post statements that go beyond the party’s highest leadership, causing unnecessary unrest among members and the grassroots,” he added.
Asyraf Wajdi also advised negotiating parties against using public media to shape the narrative before formal discussions even begin.
“It would be better not to use the public media to create unfavourable perceptions ahead of negotiations,” he said.
When asked to identify the third parties in question, he left the interpretation to reporters, noting that interference can come from various angles.
“There are all kinds of third parties—they can be insiders or outsiders. What matters is that we trust the top leadership of each party to reflect the people’s desire to see major Malay parties sit down and engage in dialogue,” he explained.
He urged all sides to give space for negotiations to take place without external interference or premature comments.
“Let the discussions happen first. Negotiations naturally involve give-and-take. Most importantly, we must make decisions that serve the people and the nation,” he said.
Clarifying whether his comments were directed at PAS, Umno, or Barisan Nasional, Asyraf Wajdi stressed that his reminder was general and not aimed at any specific entity.
