Chasing 500 DAP votes, we lost 5,000 Malay votes, says Isham of UMNO

PETALING JAYA: Umno’s performance in the recent state polls has been disappointing, with three key factors being identified as the main reasons. According to Umno supreme council member Isham Jalil, these factors include the Democratic Action Party (DAP), the party president, and former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

In his assessment, Isham stated that the party grassroots raised concerns over these issues during election campaigns in all six states. He highlighted that DAP remains a sensitive subject for Umno grassroots members. “If we force our grassroots to vote for DAP, they will protest and it is likely that they will abstain from voting or worse, they could vote for Perikatan Nasional. This is what happened in the six states,” Isham explained.

Furthermore, Isham noted that many former PKR leaders who represented Perikatan Nasional had gained more votes compared to the previous elections in 2018. “This implies that not only PKR supporters are backing them, but also Umno members. This is a big blow to Umno,” Isham added.

Addressing cooperation issues between Umno and DAP, Isham stressed the importance of resolving these concerns; otherwise, Umno is likely to suffer greater defeats in the next general election. “To chase 500 DAP votes, we lost 5,000 Malay votes in the process. If we lose our grassroots, the party will be dead,” he warned. In this regard, he called for Umno President Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to engage directly with the party grassroots to address their grievances.

Regarding the issue of former prime minister Najib Razak, Isham stated that Najib’s presence during election campaigns has proven advantageous to Umno due to his popularity. Isham clarified that Najib seeks justice and has never requested for his ongoing legal cases to be dropped. “Najib just wants a fair trial. Until now, he couldn’t get a fair trial because the presiding judges were one-sided, and were directly or indirectly responsible for his cases,” Isham explained. He further proposed that the government consider granting house arrest to Najib during the pardon process or retrial.

Ultimately, with the conclusion of the state polls on August 12, Umno managed to secure only 19 seats, including one in Kelantan, two in Penang, two in Selangor, and 14 seats in Negri Sembilan.