KUALA LUMPUR: The decision by the previous federal administration under Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob cost the party and Barisan Nasional (BN) the 15th General Election (GE15).
Kelantan Umno delegate Datuk Zawawi Othman said GE15 was called when the country was dealing with several issues affecting the people including the rise in the prices of goods and shortage in the supply of food items.
"Kita buat PRU15 semasa tidak ada telur (we held GE15 when the country was facing shortage in the supply of eggs). That is why we lost the election," the Pasir Puteh Umno division chief said when debating the party president's policy speech at the 2022 Umno General Assembly here today.
He said Umno would have been spared from the wrath of voters if GE15 was held at an earlier date or simultaneously with the Johor state election, which concluded on March 12 last year.
"GE15 was called when the prices of chicken and other food items had gone up. It was the fault of the then Agriculture (and Food Industries) Ministry but the prime minister (Ismail Sabri) at the time, who was from Umno and BN, had to take the blame," he said.
Umno, he said, suffered a dismal performance in GE15 since former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was not around to help the party.
"Umno lost half of its 'roh' (soul) when the party went to the polls. Do you know who Umno's soul is? It is 'Bossku' (Najib). His imprisonment affected the strength of our party.
"I believe we would not have suffered such a defeat if Bossku was around," he said.
