KUALA LUMPUR: Umno remains determined to provide Malaysians with a trustworthy government that upholds democratic values and human rights as well as one that is concerned about current realities faced by the people, says Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The Umno president, in a statement issued in conjunction with the party's 77th anniversary Thursday (May 11), said that Umno's involvement in the unity government was an opportunity for the party to shoulder the responsibility of governing the country well and prove its ability in leading the people's aspirations.
"For this reason, it is very important for us to rejuvenate Umno. Umno needs to be steady and strong, and to have a broad yet inclusive base.
"In conjunction with Umno's 77th anniversary, the party will show an exemplary way of successfully forging more mature and meaningful new politics,” he said in the statement posted on his Facebook page Thursday.
The Deputy Prime Minister said Umno will never tire of offering complete solutions to the people's problems, including efforts to improve economic standards, eradicate hardcore poverty and to make Malaysia the most competitive and rapidly developing country.
"Let’s reinforce the spirit and idealism of the party's historic struggle and build a more progressive Umno and forge ahead with fresh ideas to face the toxic politics of the Opposition now divided by narrow-minded racism and extreme religious sentiments without a thought of being responsible towards nation building,” he said.
On the party’s 77th anniversary, Ahmad Zahid, who is also Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman, said it was a sign of the party's maturity in going through ups and downs and yet rising again to move forward.
"Happy 77th anniversary and let’s celebrate it with self-reflection, gratitude and repentance to build a more glorious future for Umno,” he said, while also adding that the party had never shied in weathering its challenges.
"Instead, it only serves to create a new form of Umno maturity and dynamism,” he added.
Umno's 77th-anniversary celebration tonight began with the congregational Maghrib prayer, followed by a Tahlil session, reading of the Yasin and doa selamat and speech by the president. - Bernama
