KUALA LUMPUR, May 6 – Since its inception 75 years ago, UMNO has gone many miles and into a slalom for the betterment and prosperity of the nation and the people, Secretary-General Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan said.

In that span of its glorious era, UMNO couldn’t avoid but going through many obstacles hovering the domestic politics.

“Grace Allah the Almighty, that 75-year is a long and winding road, beginning Datuk Onn Jaafar and later Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Abdul Razak, Tun Hussein Onn, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Tun Abdullah Badawi, Datuk Seri Najib Razak and now Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi… the UMNO presidents.

“All this were achieved during the 63-year administrating the country. Despite many gains, there were also moments of pain and despair, for instance when we no longer rule after the defeat on 9 May, 2018 general election.

“We became part of the government again on March 1st, 2020,” he said.

Ahmad said this in UMNO Onlline Facebook programme, ’75 Tahun UMNO: UMNO Terus ke Hadapan’ in conjunction with the party’s 75th anniversary last night.

The Pontian Member of Parliament reiterated what Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid had said during the 2020 UMNO General Assembly that the party is destined to lead the nation as had been in the last six decades.

“What the president meant is that, UMNO must lead and not dictated. The party has proven its major contribution to the nation’s progress for that 75 years or so.

“Let’s hope that UMNO will lead again in the near future after being the Opposition for three years, and we don’t even feel that we are part of the current government.

“But that’s the name of the game, pain and gain of a long struggle.”

He also said such phases have made UMNO more matured and ready for more challenges, and that those in the early days of its struggle must not be forgotten since today’s achievement was built on their effort.

“There are many landmarks to its achievement, among which was its role in getting our Independence in 1957. The struggle which began from uprising against the Malayan Union had led to the Independence and the more sophisticated era,” he said.

UMNO will celebrate its Diamond Jubilee on May 11.