KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 10 — Umno Youth is ready to work with PAS in the coming Melaka state election and believes its support among young voters can help deliver another electoral victory, Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh said today.
Dr Akmal, who is also the Merlimau assemblyman, described Melaka as a crucial test of whether “penyatuan ummah” — the idea of uniting Malay-Muslim political parties — could be translated from political rhetoric into an actual electoral strategy.
“Melaka isn’t just a state, it’s a test — to see if we can change the reality, and penyatuan becomes a basis and not just an idea.
“Johor has decided and Negri Sembilan has decided. So I ask Datuk Seri (Zahid), Melaka should be blue as well,” he said during his speech at the Umno Youth general assembly.He said Umno Youth was prepared to repeat the strong performance it recorded among young voters in the Johor and Negri Sembilan state elections.
Dr Akmal said the wing was prepared to cooperate with PAS in Melaka, while making clear that he was not seeking candidacy for himself.
“If we work with PAS in Melaka, Datuk Seri, I repeat, at this stage as the leader of Umno Youth I do not want to become a candidate if PH is a candidate there.
“However I believe you are smart, and I’m sure you don’t want to see the Umno Youth chief not compete. We will be there with you,” he said, referring to Umno president and BN chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
Dr Akmals’ remarks come amid continuing discussions within Umno and BN over possible cooperation for the Melaka election.
Zahid said earlier this month that he had given Melaka Chief Minister and state BN chief Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh the mandate to negotiate cooperation with any party, with the eventual partner expected to be one that could help BN retain control of the state.
Zahid has also said formal negotiations would take place after the Melaka state assembly is dissolved, meaning no final electoral pact had been announced at the time of Dr Akmal’s speech.
Dr Akmal’s position was more specific, however, with the Umno Youth chief openly arguing for cooperation with PAS and presenting Melaka as the next opportunity to test the strategy after Johor and Negri Sembilan.
He said the wing also wanted the party to address issues affecting young Malaysians, including housing, childcare and the financial pressures faced by young families.
Dr Akmal’s Melaka pitch therefore combined a call for cooperation with PAS with a broader demand that Umno’s youth wing be given a meaningful role in shaping the party’s election platform.
The Melaka state assembly’s current term ends in December, while BN won 21 of the 28 seats in the 2021 state election, compared with five won by Pakatan Harapan and two by Perikatan Nasional.
During today’s assembly, Dr Akmal gave a particularly warm welcome to PAS Youth chief Afnan Hamimi Taib, describing the latter’s attendance as the culmination of three years of discussions between the two youth wings on national issues.
He said their pursuit of Malay-Muslim political unity predated the recent Johor and Negri Sembilan elections, where cooperation between Umno and PAS had already produced results.