Too early to decide on going solo or not, Tok Mat says on GE16

It would not be fair for Umno to judge itself and make a decision at this point whether to go solo or otherwise in the next general election, Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan said.

This comes after party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi hinted that the Malay-centrist party may not go solo in the next national poll.

Speaking to reporters at the sidelines of the 2024 Umno general assembly today, Mohamad opined that the decision to go solo or to collaborate with other parties will only be made when the time comes.

“When it’s time for GE16, we will see how strong our party is.

“If the condition of our party at that time allows us to go solo, then we will make that decision.

“If we cannot go solo and need allies to face the general election, we will consider it then. It depends on the situation,” he told reporters today.

In delivering his presidential address yesterday, Zahid said the support of Umno members alone would not suffice to guarantee a victory for the party, as the deciding factor lies in a larger pool of voters outside the party.

“If previously we took the moving solo approach, (we have to see whether) it is the right step to take in the current political scenario.

“Based on current data and sentiments, what advantage do we have? With the increase of new voters, can we control their perception?

“Umno members alone cannot ensure us a win. The determining factor is the voter base out there, which is much larger in number,” the deputy prime minister was reported as saying.

‘Dog and its own reflection’

In response, Mohamad, popularly known as Tok Mat, said Zahid’s speech cannot be taken on the surface value as there are several matters that need consideration to ensure the party becomes strong again.

“At the same time, the president (Zahid) wants Umno to be able to form a government. So how and what steps (to be taken) will have to be refined and carefully planned because we don’t want to end up like the dog and its own reflection.

“It will be a loss for us. In the election, we want to win and form a government, so we need to figure out how to win.

"We don’t want to be so greedy that we end up failing,” the foreign minister added.

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