BUKIT GANTANG – Umno risks self-destruction if it fails to stamp out factionalism and infighting, warned party secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, who likened the deepening internal strife to a corrosive game of “satay politics”.
Speaking at the opening of the Bukit Gantang Umno division meeting today, Asyraf said the party’s repeated failure to unite was costing it credibility with the public – a crisis that could derail its hopes of a meaningful comeback at the 16th general election (GE16).
“We must avoid this culture of provoking tension, forming camps, and fuelling division among leaders and members,” he told reporters. “I emphasised to the delegates that unity is fundamental.”
The term “satay politics”, he explained, was a fitting analogy for the party’s destructive tendencies: “There are those who skewer, those who fan the flames, those who grill, and those who keep flipping the narrative back and forth. All of it must stop.”
Asyraf also urged the party to return to its founding principles — defending religion, race, and the nation — instead of allowing internal politics to dominate the agenda.
“Anything that could distract the party from that mission, including the culture of satay politics, must be stopped,” he said.
As GE16 looms, he warned, time is running out for Umno to present a united front. — July 20, 2025