KOTA BARU: Former Kelantan Umno liaison deputy chairman Datuk Zaid Ibrahim has called on all party leaders to take four months for “soul searching” before deciding on who should be their leader.

The former Kota Baru MP, one of the most outspoken personalities in Umno, said Umno should not rush in during a highly-charged emotional period to choose their leader.

Don’t rush: Zaid says Umno leaders should take their time to decide on leader.

“Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should not be the only one to take the blame for the party’s dismal showing in the polls.

“It is the party’s system of patronage,” he said when contacted.

Zaid said perhaps Abdullah’s problem was that he did not do anything to correct the weaknesses in the party system.

He added that Umno needed to regroup and review its political struggle centred on not just fighting for Malay rights and crafting slogans.

“It should bring meaning to its political struggles. Umno has a long history and tradition of doing good and the right things for the country.

“We should not forget that,” Zaid said.

However, he said the party needed to move on from just becoming the movement, which fought for independence and helmed an initial period of nation-building to one which could be credible in the eyes of the people.

He added that it would take sometime before Umno could regain its strength in Kelantan.