Selangor UMNO: Get out of comfort zone, recapture Selangor in GE14 - Zahid Hamidi

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has called on Selangor Umno leaders to emerge from their comfort zone and serve the people in the state to recapture Selangor in the 14th general election (GE14).

Ahmad Zahid, who is also an Umno vice-president, said Selangor Umno leaders should change their attitude and thinking in order to win the hearts and mind of the voters.

"If we want to form the state government in Selangor again, we have to prove that the Barisan Nasional (BN) and Umno are better than the present state government.

"In the GE14, Selangor Umno and BN will be stronger, empowered and drive the support of the voters to give their votes back to the BN and Umno," he said at the Puchong Umno Delegates Meeting at the Malaysian Agricultural Expo Site (MAEPS), here today.

Ahmad Zahid pledged that he would go down on the ground to assist Selangor Umno to regain the state in the 14th general election.

"Although I am not the Selangor Umno foster father, I am prepared to come down on the ground to assist the 22 Umno divisions in Selangor. I will help in strengthening the machinery in all the divisions, parliamentary and state constituencies to ensure that Selangor Umno is solid," he said.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Prime Minister wanted support at the grassroots to be strengthened by the 14th general election, particularly support from the Chinese and Indian voters.

For example, he said, support from the Chinese community in Selangor for the BN candidates in the 13th general election had dropped drastically to 13.4 per cent compared with 29.8 per cent in GE12.

"This is due to the hate culture propagated by the opposition towards Umno and the BN. This has influenced the community and the voters, especially the fence-sitters.

"I am stating this matter seriously because I want to call upon Selangor Umno leaders to change their attitude and to be concerned about the grassroot voters so that we can win the heart and mind of the voters.

"Please change the mindset of the Chinese and Indian voters to vote for BN in the coming election because our approach is better than the current Selangor government's," he said.

Ahmad Zahid also reminded the Selangor Umno leaders against becoming seasonal leaders but to be concerned about the welfare of the members at the grassroot level at all times.

"Don't just care about the people at the top (leaders) only but those at the bottom (grassroot members) are ignored...without support at the bottom, no one will sit at the top," he said.

"The young generation now communicate non-verbally. If we want to approach this group, our approach has to be changed especially those working outside, do come back to vote in the general election," he added.