KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s next general election (GE16) could be “decisive” for the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) to reclaim the mandate to lead the country, said party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as he called for the polls to be held immediately.
Speaking to thousands of party faithful at UMNO’s 2026 general assembly on Friday (Sep 11), Ahmad Zahid also took apparent swipes at Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and hinted at new political understandings with other partners.
UMNO and Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan are partners who have pledged to remain with the unity government until the end of the current parliamentary term. GE16 is due by February 2028.
But ties have been fraying, with both sides contesting against each other in recent state elections and UMNO emerging victorious on the back of its collaboration with the national opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional (PN) to unite the Malay vote.
“The Blue Wave is not merely meant to make UMNO a supporting component of the Government. GE16 is the decisive moment for us to reclaim the mandate to lead,” Zahid declared, referring to the UMNO-led Barisan Nasional’s (BN) party colour.
“Therefore, the time has come for GE16 to be held immediately. Agree? Since we’ve already gone this far, we might as well go all the way. Since we’re already fighting … Let’s fight!” he said.
Anwar said earlier this month he was open to considering an early GE amid appeals from the opposition and Zahid.
Zahid said the Johor polls in July – where BN won 48 of 56 seats – renewed the party’s confidence, while the Negeri Sembilan polls on Aug 1 – where BN-PN won 25 of 36 seats – showed that mutual understanding could become a strength.
Melaka – where a state election is expected to be called soon – would be the next arena for the support to be translated into reality, he said. BN won 21 of 28 seats in the last Melaka state election in 2021.
“Politics today is far more complex. Malay politics is no longer centered around a single platform,” said Zahid, who is deputy prime minister.
“Voter loyalty is no longer inherited. What was once white does not necessarily remain white forever. The new generation is likewise untethered to old political nostalgia,” he added, describing UMNO as a party with a long-term vision for Malaysia.
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