Johor Umno Youth: Non-Malay membership proposed - The Star

JOHOR BARU: April 20, 2008 by Meera Vijayan

Among the feedback gathered by the state Umno Youth from its grassroots was one that suggested revisiting the idea that the party should be open to non-Malay membership.

The division has been collecting suggestions from the grassroots that members hope the leadership will look into before the party branch elections begin in July.

Johor Umno Youth chief Razali Ibrahim said that there were 149 suggestions over how the party could move forward after the heavy losses in the March 8 general election.

“Everything you can imagine, from the most rational to the most extreme, was discussed,” he told reporters after an eight-hour meeting here on Sunday.

Razali said that the suggestions included revisiting the vision of Datuk Onn Jaafar who had called for Umno party membership to be open to all Malayans (then) and for the party to be renamed the United Malayans National Organisation.

“In his time, his vision could not be accepted, but maybe the suggestion can be received in this new political landscape,” said Razali.

He however was quick to point out that the suggestions mooted were not the stand taken by Johor Umno Youth, but that of the grassroots.

He also said that the grassroots perceived that the rakyat (citizenry) was disillusioned with what was reported in the mainstream media and turned to alternative sources like bloggers for news.

“They said that the mainstream media is the only channel through which the Government can get its messages across to the people, but asked what could be done if the people don't read newspapers or watch mainstream television stations,” he said.

Razali said that the grassroots were now waiting and watching closely the direction the top party leadership would take in response to their suggestions and views.

He said that the 149 suggestions from the meeting would be forwarded to Umno Youth Chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein Onn and Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman within a week.