JOHOR BARU: A local Umno leader has appealed to members in Pulai and Simpang Jeram not to be emotional during the by-elections and sabotage the party by voting Perikatan Nasional on Saturday (Sept 9).
Johor Umno information chief Datuk Md Jais Sarday (pic) said the members need to remember the struggles of the party in championing Malay rights, Islam as the official religion of the federation, and the importance of the royal institution.
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“Even DAP leaders have acknowledged that they are agreeable to all these principles. So for how long do we want to continue to harbour hatred between Umno and DAP?
“We have to change with the times now. Yes it is a bitter pill to swallow but we have to think about the party and its struggles and move on,” Md Jais, who is also Johor Barisan Nasional information chief, told The Star on Friday (Sept 8).
He admitted there were still Umno members in Johor who still did not understand the party's role in the unity government.
He added that Perikatan wanted to frighten the Malays into believing they would lose power in the country if they supported the unity government.
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“Umno did not merge with DAP. We are in Barisan, which comprises Umno, MCA and MIC. DAP is in Pakatan Harapan together with Amanah and PKR.
“This unity government comprises 19 parties, including Barisan, Pakatan and parties from Sabah and Sarawak,” he said, adding that Umno and Barisan were doing their best to rally their supporters to vote for Amanah in the by-elections.
Md Jais also asked members to remember the contributions of the late Pulai Umno chief Tan Sri Mohamed Rahmat, who was also the party secretary-general.
He said that in 1987, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah lost to then Umno president Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad by 43 votes and the resulting dispute led to the courts declaring Umno illegal.
“That forced the party into two with Dr Mahathir setting up Umno Baru while Razaleigh formed Semangat 46.
“Mohamed Rahmad was the party secretary-general who played an important role in transforming Umno and this led to the return of many members to the party,” he said, hoping Umno members would continue to be loyal to the party and not allow the “green wave” from the north to enter Johor.
The Pulai parliamentary seat is set to see a three-cornered fight involving Pakatan's Suhaizan Kayat, Perikatan's Zulkifli Jaafar and Independent Samsudin Mohamad Fauzi.
The Simpang Jeram state seat is being contested by Pakatan's Nazri Abdul Rahman, Perikatan's Mohd Mazri Yahya and Independent Jeganathan Subramaniam.
Both seats fell vacant following the death of Amanah deputy president and domestic trade and cost of living minister Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub on July 23.
