KUALA LUMPUR – Two days of bluster and leaders’ exhortations to commit to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s unity government made way for a more introspective tone, as Umno’s annual assembly drew to a close on Saturday, with delegates offering their views on how to resuscitate the once-mighty party’s fortunes.

After licking its wounds from November’s general election thrashing, there were calls from Umno’s rank and file and veterans to reconcile with sidelined figures and consolidate their strength ahead of polls due by August to elect governments in six of Malaysia’s 13 states.

A recurring theme from delegates debating president Zahid Hamidi’s policy speech was to strengthen the party ahead of the polls to avoid a repeat of its worst-ever general election performance, having won just 26 of 222 parliamentary wards in 2022.

“We can no longer afford to be divided, we can’t afford to have camps, so we should stop sniping at each other. If there are ideas and views for the good of the party or criticisms for the party, use existing internal channels for us to discuss and improve our weaknesses,” deputy president Mohamad Hasan said on the sidelines of the congress on Saturday.

Youth wing treasurer Kurniawan Naim Moktar called on the supreme council – the party’s top decision-making body – to restore “any of our sacked or suspended leaders who have yet to join other parties and continue to love our party”.

This came on the back of former supreme councillor Tajuddin Rahman’s plea on Friday to party chief Zahid to lift his six-year suspension and allow him to campaign at the upcoming state elections.

The former deputy minister said he had appealed three times but there has been no response from the party.

“I know the weaknesses of PAS, I know the weaknesses of Bersatu, I know all the weaknesses of PN,” said the 75-year-old. Parti Islam SeMalaysia and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, the main components of opposition pact Perikatan Nasional, are Umno’s main rivals for the Malay Muslim majority vote.

“I want to fight in the state elections. How can I fight without a keris? Give me the keris,” he added, making reference to the traditional Malay dagger that is Umno’s symbol.

Datuk Seri Tajuddin was among a clutch of leaders who were critical of Datuk Seri Zahid and who were sanctioned prior to the general election. Another purge in January saw the likes of former youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin being sacked, while others such as former Umno vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein, who has spent most of the past 25 years in Cabinet, were suspended.

Youth chief Akmal Saleh supported the call to bring exiled figures back into the fold, pointing out how even Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Malaysia and Umno’s longest-serving leader, left and returned to the party.

“It appears KJ still has hope in Umno,” Dr Akmal told a press conference on Saturday, referring to former health minister Khairy’s praise for his stance on the party’s need to settle internal issues.

“Umno is at its lowest point. It is time for all who love Umno to sit at the same table because it needs assistance and ideas from all parties,” the Melaka state Cabinet member added.

Mr Khairy, however, had said on Friday that he will meet Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin next week to discuss joining the opposition party, after the former premier offered him a place on its supreme council.

Dr Zahid, in his closing speech, said the supreme council is always open to restoring members slapped with disciplinary action.

“We will see if, after the punishment, they are really party men or enemies from within. If they are really loyal, they would not be crowing everywhere, attacking the party,” he said.

Dr Akmal also stressed that there was no friction between the youth wing and the central leadership – especially Dr Zahid – despite the Deputy Premier disagreeing with his call for an apology from the Democratic Action Party (DAP) for past slights.

DAP is a decades-old foe that is now the unity government’s largest component.

“We are just bringing the voice of the grassroots. We respect the institution of the president. In fact, in the president’s policy speech, there were three points that came from the youth assembly,” Dr Akmal said.

He clarified that the demand for a DAP apology was to improve ties between their respective grassroots, but it was up to the wisdom of DAP’s leadership to decide on whether to do so.

Deputy president Mohamad also clarified his support for the call, explaining on Saturday that “I really think it’s a good thing, but if Anthony (Loke) said to move on, then it is up to them”, referring to DAP’s secretary-general.

Said the defence minister: “I don’t want this apology issue to create a crack in the unity government.”

Asked at a press conference after the close of the assembly if Umno was ready to move on and cooperate with DAP, Dr Zahid responded with an emphatic “definitely”.