'I'am representing Umno grassroots, we want to return to our original struggle' - Isham Jalil

SHAH ALAM - Umno Supreme Council member Isham Jalil said his statement that the party should stand on its own without Pakatan Harapan in future elections, was not his personal opinion, but the opinion of the party's grassroots.

He said DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke suggestion that the statement was just his personal opinion was untrue.

Isham said the party must return to its original struggle which was to defend the rights of Malays and not simply follow DAP's lead.

"I represent the Umno grassroots and we want to return to our original struggle by defending Malay rights instead of simply following DAP to struggle for Malaysian Malaysia and destroy the rights of Malays and Bumiputeras.

"If he wants to accurately know what the grassroots want, he can ask his pro-DAP friends in Umno to make a referendum and ask the three million grassroot members whether they want to cooperate with DAP or not," he said in a Facebook post on Tuesday.

Loke on Monday stated the suggestion for Umno to contest alone without PH in the elections were simply the personal views of Isham Jalil.

The Transport Minister had said that Isham's suggestion was not the official stance of the party.

Isham further commented that the the matter must be thoroughly reviewed whether the party wants to defend the rights of Malays or celebrate DAP's Malaysian Malaysia struggle.

He said the changes to the basis of the struggle must have a referendum to ensure it did not diverge from the party's stance.

"If there's a new referendum, then we would know which view truly represented the party," he said.