Being obsessed with leaders can weaken party - Abdul Rahman

Having an obsession on a leader especially those who had left a political party can be a weakness to the party, said UMNO Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan.

He said the party's struggle did not revolve around certain leaders but the entire Malays.

"The struggle of UMNO does not revolve around (former prime minister) Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and (former deputy prime minister) Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin alone.

"The UMNO's struggle (means) a lot to the Malays. If we are obsessed with certain leaders, we will lose. This is because UMNO will not have its strength based on the obsession on leadership but the loyalty to the party," he said.

Abdul Rahman, who is also Minister in the Prime Minster's Department, said this after opening the Kuala Pilah UMNO's 125 Branches Conferences which were held simultaneously here Saturday.

Also present were Kuala Pilah UMNO Division chief Datuk Ismail Lasim and Kuala Pilah member of parliament Datuk Seri Hasan Malek.

Meanwhile, speaking at a press conference later, Abdul Rahman said UMNO which would reach 70 years now since its inception, could last that long due to grasroots' loyalty to the party and its leadership.

"In our history, the one who messes up the party is not the grassroots...Alhamdulillah (praise be to Allah), I can see that UMNO members have understood their loyalty to the party and its leadership all these while.

"A break up in the party is a common issue...DAP have broken up too but UMNO is back to square one, which is UMNO for the Malays, not the leaders," he said. - BERNAMA