‘Winning today…’ - Zahid takes swipe at political leaders who make unrealistic campaign promises

KUALA LUMPUR – Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi took a swipe at political leaders who make big promises during elections, saying winning power alone does not mean a country’s problems will be solved.

In a pointed moment during his opening speech at the Umno General Assembly today, Zahid said, “winning today…” before pausing and allowing delegates to complete the sentence.

The remark drew loud cheers from the floor.

Zahid appeared to question the tendency of politicians to make promises during election campaigns as though winning an election would automatically resolve the country’s problems.

He said political victory should not be seen as an end in itself, stressing that political parties must have a long-term vision for the country and future generations.

He said Umno’s role was not simply to win one election after another or remain in power for one term, but to help shape Malaysia’s development across generations.

Reflecting on the eight years since Umno and Barisan Nasional lost federal power, Zahid asked delegates whether the party had truly learnt from the experience.

“Eight years of reality. I ask you, delegates, have we learnt our lesson? Do we understand the demands of the times? Have we made enough preparations?” he asked.

He urged party members not to simply sit back and ask when Umno would return to power, but to work towards rebuilding the party and winning back support.

Zahid said Umno had moved from an era of political dominance to one of power-sharing, forcing it to reassess its strategy and rediscover the true meaning of its struggle.

He said the party must close ranks, realign its strategy and prepare to rise again.

“At the end of the tunnel, there is a light for Umno and Barisan Nasional,” he said, drawing cheers from delegates.

However, Zahid stressed that Umno’s purpose should not be measured solely by whether it could win the next election.

He said the party must remember its wider role in shaping the country’s development and preparing for the future, rather than seeking only “seasonal applause”.

Pointing to Gen Z and Gen Alpha, Zahid said future leaders must consider the ideas and aspirations of younger generations when thinking about the country’s future.

“This is how leaders think, what kind of country do we want to leave behind? It is not about who can win,” he said, citing some political parties main focus was to just 'survive' each tenure in power. 

Zahid also warned that Malaysia’s political landscape had become more unpredictable, with younger voters less attached to the political loyalties and nostalgia of previous generations.

“Politics today is far more dynamic. Loyalty is no longer inherited. The new generation is not bound by the political nostalgia of the past,” he said.

He said Umno could therefore no longer rely on the same political formula everywhere.

Each state, he said, had its own political dynamics, meaning strategies had to take into account local conditions, candidates and voter sentiment.

Zahid also criticised the seemingly endless political battles that continue even after elections are over.

He said Malaysians had been repeatedly forced to listen to political talk about who wanted to bring down whom and who was trying to topple the government.

“Eight years of permanent political warfare. Politics does not end even after elections end. The people are forced to listen to who wants to bring whom down and who wants to bring down the roof,” he said.

In another pointed remark, Zahid questioned whether anyone was still waiting to see who would be investigated or arrested next.

“If anyone among us wants to wear the orange shirt — the orange shirt is no longer around — you are welcome, come,” he said, referring to the orange detention attire associated with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission. “The fight remains the fight.”

However, Zahid said the bigger question was what Malaysians wanted from political parties amid the continuing political uncertainty.

“The people want to know who can provide solutions to all these problems. We are here. We can do it,” he said.

Zahid called on the party to learn from the past eight years, adapt to a changing electorate and recognise that political loyalty can no longer be taken for granted.

For Umno, he said, the challenge is not simply to win again, but to show that it has the strategy, purpose and vision to convince a new generation that the party still has a role to play in shaping the Malaysia they will inherit.