KUALA LUMPUR: Umno may be hated by some but never ignored, says Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Ahmad Zahid said the Umno General Assembly had attracted interest not only from party members but also from outsiders.
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In a thinly veiled reference to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Ahmad Zahid said that even those in India were following developments at the party’s general assembly.
Anwar is currently in India for a work visit.
“This is why I said that no matter how much they hate Umno, they still want to know what is happening at the assembly.
“Even those who are currently in India... who tell us to learn from the guru,” the Deputy Prime Minister said in his winding-up speech at the 2026 Umno General Assembly here on Saturday (Sept 12).
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Ahmad Zahid said that while the party enjoys Tamil films or those Bollywood films from India, they do not follow them.
“If he is a teacher, we also have our own headmaster to teach us,” he said.
The reference to “guru” was linked to a leaked telephone conversation between Ahmad Zahid and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in April 2021, during which Ahmad Zahid referred to Anwar as “guru”, or teacher.
In his presidential policy speech on Friday (Sept 11), Ahmad Zahid took a jab at his “guru”, urging him to stop ignoring the grievances and concerns of the people.
Although he did not name the leader, Ahmad Zahid, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, was believed to be referring to Anwar.
In response, Anwar said the “guru” had safely arrived in New Delhi, India, to represent Malaysia on the world stage at the 18th BRICS Summit.
Anwar is scheduled to attend the opening session of the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit on Sunday (Sept 13), where he is expected to deliver Malaysia’s National Statement on Shaping the Future for Inclusive Global Growth.
