KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 12 — Umno’s annual general assembly ended yesterday with a sense of optimism rarely seen at the party’s recent assemblies, as delegates filled the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur with renewed enthusiasm for the party.
The four-day assembly was also notable for Umno’s warm welcome to PAS delegates, although some members remained wary of the latter’s history of political partnerships that eventually fell apart.
Here are three things we learnt from this year’s assembly.
1. Sky-high confidence among Umno delegates
The mood at the World Trade Centre here was noticeably different this year.
A week before the assembly began, Umno secretary-general Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki described it as a “Hari Raya Umno” for delegates, and the mood inside the venue did not disappoint.
Just outside the WTC entrance, buskers were seen performing Umno’s anthem, “Bersatu, Bersetia, Berkhidmat”, with delegates singing along as they went in and out of the building.
Delegates were constantly taking photographs and recording videos around the venue, with some cheering as they gathered in the main foyer.
When the debates began in Dewan Merdeka, many delegates gathered in front of the big screen at the main stage and listened intently.
The party’s membership counter was also consistently busy, with members queuing to collect their cards while others waited to register as new members.
The rows of shops around the venue were similarly lively, with delegates browsing and making purchases between sessions.
The mood was a far cry from some of Umno’s recent assemblies, which were held against the backdrop of electoral defeats, internal divisions and uncertainty over the party’s place in national politics.
Even the previous assembly, held in January this year, lacked the same sense of optimism and confidence.
This time, delegates arrived fresh from Umno and Barisan Nasional’s (BN) strong performances in Johor and Negeri Sembilan.
BN won 48 of the 56 seats in Johor, including 36 for Umno, while in Negeri Sembilan the coalition secured 18 of the 36 seats, with Umno winning all 16 seats it contested.
Those victories appear to have given the party something it has struggled to maintain since its defeat in the 2018 general election: confidence that it can win again.
2. PAS is being welcomed back, despite its history
Perhaps the most striking political development at this year’s assembly was the warm reception given to PAS delegates.
When the first PAS representatives arrived at the assembly on Wednesday night, they were greeted by Umno members, with deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan even asking three PAS Muslimat delegates: “Kayfa haluka?”, or “How are you?” in Arabic.
The gesture came after Umno leaders attended PAS’ annual muktamar the previous week, with Asyraf saying PAS’ top leadership had been invited to the Umno assembly as a reciprocal gesture.
For a party whose relationship with PAS has swung from cooperation to bitter rivalry and back again, the warmth was significant.
Umno leaders have also repeatedly made clear that they are open to cooperation with other Malay parties, but not at the expense of the party’s own interests or identity.
That message was echoed by Umno delegates, some of whom said the past should remain in the past, but PAS would have to show that it could be a different partner this time around.
There is good reason for that caution. Umno and PAS previously worked together under Muafakat Nasional before their relationship deteriorated, while PAS later became a key component of Perikatan Nasional and contested against Umno.
Some Umno delegates have also pointed to PAS’ previous political partnerships through Pakatan Rakyat and with Bersatu in Perikatan Nasional as reminders that political cooperation can be short-lived.
So while the door to PAS is clearly open again, Umno is making clear that any cooperation must be on mutually agreed terms, with neither side turning on the other when political circumstances change.
The underlying message from the assembly appears simple: if Umno and PAS are going to work together again, this time there should be no backstabbing.
The next test could come in Melaka, where Umno Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh has said his wing is ready to work with PAS, describing the state election as a test of whether “penyatuan ummah” can become an electoral strategy rather than remain merely an idea.
3. Umno is already eyeing a return to federal power
If there was one message that came through most strongly from the assembly, it was that Umno wants to be seen as more than just a component of the current Unity Government.
Zahid called for GE16 to be held “as soon as possible”, telling delegates that the election would be a defining moment for Umno and BN to regain the mandate to lead the country.
During the debate on the president’s policy speech, Kedah Umno delegate Datuk Shaiful Hazizy Zainol Abidin singled out several PH ministers, including Datuk Seri Fadhlina Sidek, Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil, Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari and Nga Kor Ming, along with DAP as a whole, describing them as “illnesses”.
“What is the medicine for these illnesses? What is the medicine to save the country? The medicine is to return the mandate to the people. An election must be held immediately,” he said.
Zahid described Melaka as the next battleground for the coalition’s “blue wave” strategy.
He also laid out eight initiatives for BN to pursue should it return to Putrajaya after GE16.
Among them was Zahid’s pledge that state institutions would not be used as political tools if BN returned to power.
Former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin later described the speech as sounding like that of a “PM in waiting”.
The message was also apparent in the party’s discussions about its position within the Unity Government.
Mohamad acknowledged that Umno had struggled to convince Malay voters to accept its cooperation with DAP, saying long-standing perceptions of DAP continued to shape how the partnership was viewed.
At the same time, he said Umno would remain “forever centrist”, while stressing the importance of Malay unity and the party’s Rumah Bangsa concept.
Taken together, the messages suggest that Umno is trying to position itself for the next phase of national politics: retaining its place in government for now, while increasingly talking about what it would do if voters return BN to power after GE16.