UMNO president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today reminded party members not to get caught up in the “who’s more radical” race.

He said Umno must remain a mature, rational, and unifying centrist party.

“This is the politics of consideration, stability, and hope that we must uphold as we lead the nation,” he said in his speech at Umno’s 79th anniversary celebration at the World Trade Centre, today.

Zahid reminded members to not remain complacent with yesterday’s narrative to address today’s challenges.

“I want Umno to rise as a party of the future, to become a political movement that practises politics of solutions, politics of legacy and moderate politics. We do not practise political hypocrisy,” he said.

Zahid said the rakyat today wants to hear practical solutions.

“They want to see Umno speak about the real issues in their lives.

“Our success in the by-elections proves one important point, the public now prefers solutions that relate to their daily lives over being constantly bombarded with political rhetoric that has become increasingly nauseating to their ears,” he added.

Zahid said it was time for Umno members to pause and reflect sincerely on the party’s future and the fate of the Malay community, warning that the party risks losing its way if it continues to be driven by emotion rather than reason.

“Reflect on this: if the decision to form a unity government had not been made, would Umno be standing strong as we see it today? Would Umno still be relevant in the eyes of the younger generation, if past betrayals were allowed to continue unchecked in the pursuit of power? Could Umno survive, if we do not make a collective shift together?” he asked.

Meanwhile, he urged party members not to get caught up with seat allocations ahead of the Melaka state election.

He said that such matters should be left to the top leadership of the parties in the unity government.

“Let’s not be emotional, analytical and based only on individual perspectives. Issues like seat distribution and so on, we leave that to our top-level leadership.

“We (the top leadership) often meet and hold discussions. So let’s not raise this issue, whether from Umno’s Youth or Amanah’s Youth. I think it’s too premature to politicise this matter,” he told reporters after Umno 79th Anniversary celebrations.