KUALA LUMPUR — Umno’s priority has always been to ensure political stability in Malaysia, even after suffering electoral setbacks, says Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani.
In his winding-up speech at the 2025 Umno General Assembly, Johari acknowledged that the party won only 30 parliamentary seats in the last general election and secured just seven ministerial positions, but stressed that Umno never walked away from its responsibility to the country.
“What are we doing today? Even though we lost, we still won 30 seats and were given seven ministerial posts. Our responsibility is to provide political stability in Malaysia.
“Who we work with is not the most important thing. Umno’s contribution is to provide a stable political environment for the country,” he said.
Johari said Umno’s commitment for stability transcends political alliances, adding that who the party works with is secondary to its role in ensuring a stable governing environment.
He stressed that despite being punished at the polls, Umno had never retreated from its duty to help govern and stabilise the nation.
“We must show the people that even though Umno lost, we never ran away from our responsibility to provide a stable country,” he added.
The public, he said, does not expect perfection from political leaders, acknowledging that all leaders have weaknesses and that politics has never been ideal.
“The people do not seek 100 per cent perfection. They understand that leaders have flaws. What they want is integrity, courage, honestry.. when making tough decisions,” he said.
Citing Kuala Lumpur as an example, Johari noted that Umno performed poorly in the capital, winning only one parliamentary seat out of 11, his Titiwangsa seat — which he said was won under challenging circumstances.
He highlighted ongoing concerns surrounding urban development in Kuala Lumpur, including issues related to the proposed Urban Renewal Act (URA), saying the party leadership had listened to residents’ concerns.
“The president (Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi) heard the voices of the people and asked me if I could help. He wanted us to organise a convention so we could understand what residents are feeling,” Johari said.
He said such engagement reflects Umno’s continued commitment to governance and listening to the rakyat, even from a position of reduced political power.