Umno leadership have been reminded to fight and set aside the comfortable and beaten syndromes suffered by the party during the 2004 and 2008 general elections if they were to ensure big victory for Barisan Nasional (BN) at the upcoming 13th general election.      

Umno vice-president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the comfortable syndrome persisted after the 2004 general election, mainly due to overconfidence.      

"When this happened, all advice just fell on deaf ears, all opinions rejected and everybody were engrossed in grabbing opportunities, leaving the party's struggles to become less important," told reporters after opening Telok Kenang Umno delegates' meeting, Port Dickson today.      

Ahmad Zahid said the party had to pay a high price for being too comfortable it was visible with its dismay performance at the 2008 general election, which then led the party to suffer the beaten syndrome.      

"When the beaten syndrome occurred, we were scared, embarrassed, disappointed and refused to make changes.      

"Now, I hope we will not suffer the syndromes again as Prime Minister Najib Razak has initiated various transformation in the government and politics," he added.      

- Bernama