PADANG TERAP: Perikatan Nasional (PN) is seen to be in a superior position not because the opposition is strong but because Umno is weak, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.
Deputy Prime Minister, who is also Umno president, said the party was weakened by its own members who were deceived by PN's propaganda.
Citing an example, Zahid said there are Umno members who have lost their faith in the party and its future after being mocked by PN's propaganda that Umno has ditched its fundamental struggles by working with DAP in the unity government.
"They (PN) are not that strong, but it is just that we are weak... (it is) because some of us were deceived by their propaganda, including the UMDAP (Umno and DAP) rhetoric," Zahid said in his speech while opening the Padang Terap Umno division's branches annual general meeting as part of his nationwide tour as the party president in Kuala Nerang today.
Present were Umno secretary-general Datuk Asyraf Wajidi Dusuki and Kedah Umno liaison committee chairman Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid, who is also Padang Terap Umno division chief.
Zahid told party members that the cooperation between Umno and DAP is a reflection of the new political reality in the country's political scenario.
However, he stressed that the cooperation did not meant that Umno has ditched its fundamental struggles in championing the interests of the Malay Bumiputera, Islamic religion and the royal institution.
"Never in their policy speech, DAP leaders questioned Umno's struggles in championing the interest of the Malays, Islam and the royalty.
"In the Cabinet meeting, the DAP secretary-general sits next to me and whenever the Prime Minister or me present anything related to Malay and Islamic agenda, never for once he questioned them.
"They (DAP) accepts whatever is enshrined by the (Federal) Constitution. It is not true that they (the DAP) are opposing Islam and the Malays because they are fully aware that the unity government must be defended and we need to stabilise the nation's politics," he said.
Contrary to DAP, Zahid said Pas kept on changing its principles based on its interest and survival, including backstabbing its partners.
Zahid claimed that Umno has learnt the bitter lesson from its political cooperation with Pas under the Muafakat Nasional banner.
"Don't be bitten by the same snake at the same location. A snake is a snake even in bushes.
"I have a high regards for ulamas (Islamic clerics) but I will never ever respect political ulamas who keep on changing their stand in the morning, in the afternoon and in the evening.
"I have experience working with them in Muafakat Nasional and learnt the bitter lesson that they (Pas) just don't keep their promises, in fact they have broken promises that they made," he said.
Zahid urged the party members to rebuild the party's strength by working together and putting their differences aside.
He added that Umno must also strive to regain the support of the fence sitters in the next general election.