The political waves striking UMNO now require members and the leadership to defend the organisation and ensure that UMNO remains intact and wins the next general election, said Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Speaking candidly on the current political situation in the country, the Deputy Prime Minister acknowledged the daunting challenges for UMNO, the backbone of Barisan Nasional, in the face of numerous attacks by the opposition including former UMNO top leaders.

He said the solidarity and togetherness among UMNO members in standing by the party leadership would also sustain the country's political institution which is responsible not only for the Malays but for all races in Malaysia.

Recounting the bitter experience and crises that UMNO went through when party leaders such as UMNO founder, the late Datuk Onn Jaafar, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and at one point Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and Tun Musa Hitam were no longer in concurrence with the party resulting in polemics, Ahmad Zahid said UMNO succeeded in riding and overcoming the waves and did not sink.

"It depends on how the party leadership, not just the president and deputy president, address the problem. The important thing is the togetherness in addressing and resolving the problems with wisdom and discipline as Muslims and Malays," he said in an exclusive interview with Bernama ahead of next week's UMNO General Assembly.

Ahmad Zahid said the incessant attacks of slander and accusations against UMNO leaders and the biggest Malay party was becoming more vicious with the approach of the 14th general election that could be held at any time.

"Therefore, it is the duty of every UMNO member to counter every attack including psychological warfare launched particularly through cyber space and deal with each issue immediately and expeditiously.

"We must strengthen the team and our forces not only to defend but also to act in a more positive way in attesting that we are in the right," he said.

Acknowledging that the challenges faced by UMNO this time around were enormous because some frontline leaders were now on the opposing side, he said party members and leaders and the government were responsible in helping party president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to explain issues that had been raised.

"My opinion is, don't leave the president alone to face the problems, rather, we must learn from past leaderships.

"When we are in one line, we should be together and we should discern what the leadership's aspiration is, as we know in the 22 years the attacks were numerous from outside and inside," he said referring to the leadership of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who was then UMNO president.

Ahmad Zahid, who is UMNO vice president and entrusted to discharge the responsibilities of the deputy president, said the party continued to remain intact because of internal strength and leadership and grassroots support despite the conflicts.

He said the situation faced by UMNO at this point was not new as the party leadership had always been a target for the opposition, particularly when an election was imminent.

He said a study conducted in regard to the five general elections held under Dr Mahathir showed that each one was never free from issues directed at party leaders.

However, he said, UMNO managed to handle the situations because it could provide explanations to the issues raised.

He said that he was confident that in spite of what was happening now when UMNO, Barisan Nasional and the government were being attacked from the outside, there was unanimity in thought and action which should be continued until the next general election.

On the 2016 UMNO General Assembly, Ahmad Zahid said three issues could be expected to be the focus, that is, former UMNO leaders who are now 'outside the ring', concerns of the party and the 2050 National Transformation (TN50).

He said the internal issues must be settled to ensure that UMNO remained united when facing the general election.

The focus on TN50 would be directed at how one transformation for the next 30 years could be translated through TN50 programmes and the party also wanted to hear suggestions on it from Pemuda and Puteri members, he said. - BERNAMA