PUTRAJAYA: Umno is a flexible party which can adapt to changes in the interest of the nation and the people.
Its secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said the party, which is the backbone of the government, has built a conducive eco-system for Malaysians to thrive in many fields including education and businesses.
“We are an inclusive party that is led by a president who listens to the people; bold enough to make changes and correct past mistakes,” he said in an interview held in conjunction with Umno’s 71st anniversary celebration.
Although Umno has been around for seven decades, Tengku Adnan said that Umno was not a ‘dinosaur’ party as claimed by some quarters, but has evolved according to the time and this is evident with the growing number of youths signing up to join the party.
Many young Malaysians, he added, could see that they would have a bright future under the leadership of Barisan Nasional and Umno with numerous programmes in the pipeline including the National Transformation 2050 (TN50) roadmap.
To face the opposition in the next general election, Tengku Adnan said, Umno embraced all media platforms to deal with those who were against the party.
“When they know that they cannot win, they resort to creating confusion among the voters. As what the Prime Minister has said before, when the petrol prices become cheaper, it is due to the global market, but when the price increases, it is because of Datuk Seri Najib and BN.
“This is what we are facing nowadays. It is easier to confuse the people compared to trying to convince the public of the truth.
“In this respect, we have to continuously inform the people of the truth,” he said.
Tengku Adnan added the party’s machinery had begun engaging with the people in addition to addressing such lies on other platforms, including social media.
On the prospect that Umno and Pas would form friendlier ties as in the past, Tengku Adnan said anything was possible, depending on the decision of the two parties’ top management.
Last week, Pas president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang was quoted as saying his attendance at the launch of an artificial reef programme by Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek was a display of mature politics between Pas and the Barisan Nasional government.
To criticisms that Umno was being lavish in celebrating its 71st anniversary with lucky draw prizes totalling about RM1 million, Tengku Adnan said these prizes were sponsored by various companies including big successful corporations.