DAP wants us to be strong, Umno leader tells party delegates

A senior Umno leader yesterday told party members not to fear DAP, saying that it was not the “bad guy” it has always been perceived to be.

Deputy Human Resources Minister Abdul Rahman Mohamad said DAP has also shared its hope to see Umno become stronger, so it can lean on the party’s support.

The Umno supreme council member claimed that DAP organising secretary Steven Sim, who is the human resources minister, recently expressed this.

“He (Sim) said before that Umno must be strong. They need Umno because DAP can only win between 40 and 43 seats (in Parliament), not more than that.

“He said the Chinese do not have many children, so it is impossible that they want to claim the prime ministerial seat.

“If Umno is not strong, then DAP cannot rely on us. He also permitted me to use all the time I need to work towards strengthening Umno,” he was quoted as saying by Berita Harian.

Rahman (above) was speaking at the launch of the Tanjong Karang Umno division annual meeting.

He refuted the general perception among Umno members that DAP is a chauvinistic party.

“The party (DAP) is not what we thought it was. (DAP leader) Nga Kor Ming had said before that he never thought (Umno president) Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was a hardworking leader with huge idealism but he now enjoys working with him (Zahid).

“This was what I was told. Sim is, of course, someone who is close to me.

“All this while we thought DAP was a chauvinist, socialist and such,” the Lipis MP added.

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