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UMNO President Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has urged that any movement aimed at uniting the Malay community must be rooted in genuine ideals and sincere conscience, not masked political motives.
“Whatever initiative is carried out under any name, it must be executed without any hidden political agenda,” Zahid told reporters after officiating the UMNO Bagan Datuk Division Delegates Meeting on Saturday.
“Without any intention of sidelining any party in forming a secretariat or any kind of cooperation, let us unite. What matters is the thought, the intellect and the sincerity of conscience,” he said.
He took a veiled swipe at parties with no electoral success attempting to spearhead unity efforts.
“It should not be with ulterior motives, especially when a party that failed to win a single seat in the last election—let alone lost its deposits—is suddenly seeking to lead Malay unity,” he added.
Zahid reaffirmed UMNO’s longstanding commitment to comprehensive Malay unity, which he said has been a foundational principle since the party’s establishment in May 1946. At the time, UMNO successfully brought together various Malay NGOs in defence of national and cultural interests.
“The struggle to uphold the sovereignty of the Malay Rulers is enshrined in UMNO’s Constitution,” Zahid noted. “Equally, so is the effort to elevate the status of Islam and defend the special position of the Malays.”
He also extended well wishes to the newly formed Secretariat Melayu and its chairman, expressing hope for the group’s success in uniting Malay political parties and NGOs.
“I pray he succeeds in bringing together Malay parties and NGOs for the betterment of the Malay community,” Zahid said.
The Secretariat Orang Melayu, launched last week, was initiated by former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad with the aim of consolidating Malay interests under a single umbrella. Mahathir stated that the initiative seeks to restore political strength and address ongoing challenges facing the Malay population. - June 14, 2025