KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 11 – With its countless achievements in helping the Malays and Bumiputeras in this country, UMNO is the community’s best hope in improving their standard of living. UMNO president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the party’s Bumiputera agenda was no longer just a national agenda but in fact, hailed and recognised at the global level.
He said they are never apologetic in defending the Bumiputera agenda. He said this in his policy speech themed “UMNO: Perfecting A Struggle” when opening the UMNO General Assembly 2015, here, Thursday. Najib, who is also the prime minister, pledged to stoicly continue leading the noble struggle of looking after the Malays and Bumiputeras.
UMNO must continue to champion the interest and position of the race and people of the Malay and Bumiputera stock in the land of their birth, he said. Najib said for decades under the leadership of UMNO that pillared the government, various successes had been achieved and enjoyed including strengthening of the national education policy, producing thousands of excellent graduates, technocrats, religious scholars and entrepreneurs.
“The reality is, UMNO’s initiatives all this while have changed the landscape of the lives of the Malays and Bumiputeras for the better or known as upward social mobility within a period of one generation,” he said in the opening the UMNO General Assembly 2015.
“For example, the children of labourers have become ministers, children of rubber tappers have become deputy ministers and chief ministers, children of fishermen have become menteri besar, and children of farmers and smallholders have become secretaries-general, corporate figures and community leaders,” he said.
Najib also cited a prominent figure who once had a difficult life but now held the top post in government as Chief Secretary to the Government. He said he was touched when told how tough his life was when he was growing up where there were days where he had kembung fish ‘gulai’ for his meal and the next day, only had the gravy with rice. But now, all praise and thanks be to Allah, the public servant he have just mentioned now holds the top post, that is, as Chief Secretary to the Government.
“Clearly, there are so many colours of success of the Malays and Bumiputeras that have been drawn and painted as a result of UMNO’s struggle that cannot be described in words and be counted. As UMNO would reach 70 years of age in May next year, it would hold the record of being a party that was able to sustain its capability and calibre, steering Malaysia which was rapid developing since a long time ago, now and forever,” the party president said.
In fact, he said, the UMNO General Assembly had become the place to decide on the motions tabled to become national policies, and at this assembly too came the motion to set up a university, namely Universiti Teknologi Mara, besides championing the fate of public servants and for the Malay rulers to continue to be held in high esteem.
“And..the most important, at this assembly is that the sanctity of Islam is uplifted and at this gathering too, the Malays consider the future of their race so that they will not become destitutes in their own homeland. For decades, UMNO had been upholding the sanctity of Islam in fulfilling the requirements of Maqasid Syariah (Islamic faith foundational goals),” Najib said.
“Until now, Malaysia is increasingly known as a progressive and dynamic Islamic country, while being a role model for the developing countries and other Islamic countries. This is no empty thought but a fact supported through the Malaysia Syariah Index that I launched on Feb 10, 2015…as the first such index in the world,” he said.
“Insya-Allah (God willing),…early next year the result of the first evaluation will be announced and based on this outcome, I as the UMNO president and prime minister, pledge and promise to be fully committed to propagating and elevating Islam in Malaysia,” he said.
Najib said in uplifting the position of Islam in this country, the UMNO-led government would not bow to any big power as alleged by some quarters. Despite the many successes of the party, Najib voiced his disappointment over the attitude of certain quarters who were trying to topple the party.
“Unfortunately, there are quarters who have and are making holes in this ship of struggle, with the aim of capsizing it. Therefore, it is such a pity that their treacherous act would not only drown their opponents but ultimately, their own race and civilisation,” he added.
