Look in the mirror instead of blaming youths and 'KFC meals', Umno told

An analyst says Umno has only itself to blame for its poor performance at the elections last weekend, where the once dominant party won just 19 of the 108 seats it contested throughout the six states. 

Jayum Jawan also said that the recent remark by Umno Supreme Council leader Nur Jazlan Mohamed about young voters being "bribed with KFC meals" to support Perikatan Nasional was a reflection of the party's political culture over the decades. 

"Umno lost and continues losing its Malay support because the leadership is losing touch with its base – the Malay people, as in the rural Malay voters," he said. 

"Umno is not really engaging with urban Malays, although the urban Malays who are successful owe it to Umno," he added. 

As for the Malays in the middle class, Jayum, a professor of political science at Universiti Putra Malaysia, said Umno had ignored this group.

Umno, once known for its rural vote base, won just two seats at the elections in Penang and Selangor, and one in Kelantan. 

While it performed well in Negeri Sembilan, winning 14 of the 17 seats it contested, it was completely wiped out in Kedah and Terengganu. 

Nur Jazlan, the Pulai Umno division chief, had sought to defend party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who came under pressure to resign, including from leaders such as former Terengganu menteri besar Idris Jusoh, Umno Supreme Council member Isham Jalil, and youth chief Dr Akmal Salleh. 

Zahid, the deputy prime minister who also holds the Cabinet portfolio for rural and regional development, has been blamed for the rejection of voters manifested at the 15th general election where BN won only 30 parliamentary seats nationwide. 

Jayum praised Nur Jazlan's attempt to determine the source of the coalition's loss but warned that blaming the youth would do BN no favours among them. 

Analyst Kartini Aboo Talib meanwhile said that Nur Jazlan's remarks could be seen from several perspectives. 

"We could say that Umno is in denial about its leaders' weaknesses and decadence," she said. 

"While there is the issue of young voters having no exposure to democracy or the relationship between politics and the country, this is not the reason Umno lost," she added. 

Kartini, of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, said a lack of literacy among young voters could cause spoiled votes and a low voter turnout. 

But she said Umno had lost as it failed to win the support of even the older groups. 

"The history of Umno's struggle is taught in school, and leaders like Onn Jaafar are well known. 

"Perhaps the spirit of patriotism has evolved into loyalty to the king and compliance with the law," she said. 

Jayum, on the other hand, said Umno was carrying the burden of a handful of leaders who continued to have issues of credibility and integrity. 

Zahid himself still faces 47 charges of corruption related to Yayasan Akalbudi funds. 
 
"A point is perhaps reached where the public is beginning to question the quality of their leaders and leadership," he said. 

"They want change. They waited for change, and when that change did not come, they made the change.

"The cost is huge and the humiliation is great. After this, the real question is: can Umno really be salvaged?"