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Malays, bumiputras will be doomed if UMNO falls: Najib

KUALA LUMPUR — The Malay race will be doomed if the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) falls, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak told the country’s largest party at its annual general assembly yesterday, borrowing an often-used theme from the ruling party’s political playbook to rally support from members.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak at UMNO’s 68th General Assembly in 
Kuala Lumpur yesterday. Photo: AP

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak at UMNO’s 68th General Assembly in
Kuala Lumpur yesterday. Photo: AP

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KUALA LUMPUR — The Malay race will be doomed if the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) falls, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak told the country’s largest party at its annual general assembly yesterday, borrowing an often-used theme from the ruling party’s political playbook to rally support from members.

In his policy speech at the Malay nationalist party’s assembly, the party’s president said he would not allow the country’s dominant ethnic group to suffer and pledged to keep fighting for the Malays and the bumiputras or indigenous peoples.

“Should this party fall, the Malays and bumiputras will fall too and be buried together,” he added.

He said UMNO members should not be affected by critics who say the party has become irrelevant. “Do not forget, in our historic general assemblies, strategic policies for the Malays and bumiputras were raised, institutions were protected and the fate of 1.5 million civil servants continued to be defended,” he said.

“This is where Malay rulers were sanctified, this is where Islam was upheld and, most importantly, at this assembly, the Malays carry the hopes of their children and grandchildren.”

Mr Najib’s remarks yesterday were part of efforts by UMNO to win back Malay support in urban areas after last year’s election. Although the Barisan Nasional secured its 13th straight election win last year, the result was also its narrowest victory since Malaysia gained independence in 1957 as it was heavily abandoned by the minority Chinese and rejected by many voters of all races in urban areas.

Mr Najib had opened the assembly by screening slides of the May 13, 1969, race riots and the communist attacks in Malaya, in an apparent reminder to the country’s ruling party of the importance of national unity and the dangers of discord among the Malays.

Noting that the bumiputras would comprise 70 per cent of the population by 2020, Mr Najib yesterday asked the party’s delegates to imagine how strong the community would be by then. “Everything that we see today didn’t come easily on their own ... The ups and downs of Malaysia’s journey were full of episodes and events,” he said.

Hundreds are believed to have died during clashes between the Malays and Chinese in 1969. Although triggered by the results of elections that year, it was rooted in ethnic tensions between the two communities.

Mr Najib’s call for Malays to stand together has been echoed by other party officials. On Wednesday, UMNO Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin had urged Malays to rise and defend themselves from a purported onslaught of insults and challenges to their special position in the country. Agencies

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