KUALA LUMPUR: Umno must not be captivated by its recent 'small' electoral victories in Negri Sembilan and Johor, as bigger and more complex challenges lie ahead, warned Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
The Umno deputy president said the party should learn from its past, particularly how electoral victories in Johor and Melaka were followed by a crushing defeat in the 15th General Election (GE15).
“Let us not be dazzled by our limited victories when greater and more complex challenges still lie ahead,” he said in his opening speech at the simultaneous opening of the Umno Youth, Wanita and Puteri annual general assemblies at the World Trade Centre (WTC) on Wednesday (Sept 9).
Mohamad, who is fondly known as Tok Mat, said Umno had also won big in the 2022 Johor and 2021 Melaka state elections, securing two-thirds majorities in both state assemblies.
“Yet Umno suffered a crushing defeat in GE15. In Melaka, we did not win a single parliamentary seat,” he said.
He added that the party subsequently suffered heavy losses in the 2023 six state elections, with Umno failing to win even a single seat in some states.
Mohamad said these setbacks should prompt the party to reflect on what went wrong rather than simply celebrate its victories.
“Indeed, all of this remains Allah’s secret. But Allah has also given us reason – to think, reflect and strive,” he said.
