Muhyiddin joins call for urgent change in Umno leadership

Malaysianinsider - "If the changes are not made immediately, Umno will also lose power and can never make a comeback," said the International Trade and Industry Minister.

He said the general election results clearly showed the people's misgivings on the party leadership and now people in and outside Umno questioned the leaders family links and the system practised.

"I worry if there are no changes made as demanded not only by Umno members but also by people from outside the party, the people will reject Barisan Nasional (BN) and Umno. I think the sentiments are boiling at the grassroots of their utter dissatisfaction. Therefore, if changes don't happen in Umno, many adverse things will surface," he said in an interview in today's 'Mingguan Malaysia' Malay newspaper.

"I'm afraid if I don't speak the truth, it can eventually lead to disaster for the Malays and Umno."

Muhyiddin said the election results also showed the domination of Malay politics through Umno, which was long regarded as beyond challenge, had purportedly become a myth.

"We thought we cannot lose, but today, many Umno leaders in the five states now under Opposition rule never expected to lose power. That's why, to me, it is a very bitter lesson and cannot be taken lightly," he said.

"The question now is to what extent Umno can withstand the wave of the new political thinking in the country. More importantly, the question is to what point the Malay political power can sustain itself in the years ahead. more...