Akmal Saleh: Umno Youth ready to work with PAS in Melaka, state is next test for Malay-Muslim unity

Umno Youth, led by Datuk Dr. Muhamad Akmal Saleh, is poised to form an alliance with PAS for the upcoming Melaka state election, underscoring the test of "penyatuan ummah" in transitioning from political rhetoric to a viable strategy.

Akmal emphasized the importance of leveraging Umno's youth support, as demonstrated in Johor and Negri Sembilan, and urged formal collaboration with PAS.

While advocating for youth engagement on pressing issues like housing and family finances, Akmal reiterated that cooperation with PAS could enhance Umno's electoral chances, aligning with ongoing discussions within the party as the state assembly's term concludes.

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 10 — Umno Youth is ready to work with PAS in the coming Melaka state election and believes its support among young voters can help deliver another electoral victory, Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh said today.

Akmal, who is also the Merlimau assemblyman, described Melaka as a crucial test of whether “penyatuan ummah” — the idea of uniting Malay-Muslim political parties — could be translated from political rhetoric into an actual electoral strategy.

“Melaka isn’t just a state, it’s a test — to see if we can change the reality, and penyatuan becomes a basis and not just an idea.

“Johor has decided and Negri Sembilan has decided. So I ask Datuk Seri (Zahid), Melaka should be blue as well,” he said during his speech at the Umno Youth general assembly.He said Umno Youth was prepared to repeat the strong performance it recorded among young voters in the Johor and Negri Sembilan state elections.

Akmal said the wing was prepared to cooperate with PAS in Melaka, while making clear that he was not seeking candidacy for himself.

“If we work with PAS in Melaka, Datuk Seri, I repeat, at this stage as the leader of Umno Youth I do not want to become a candidate if PH is a candidate there.

“However I believe you are smart, and I’m sure you don’t want to see the Umno Youth chief not compete. We will be there with you,” he said, referring to Umno president and BN chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi

Akmals’ remarks come amid continuing discussions within Umno and BN over possible cooperation for the Melaka election.

Zahid said earlier this month that he had given Melaka Chief Minister and state BN chief Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh the mandate to negotiate cooperation with any party, with the eventual partner expected to be one that could help BN retain control of the state.

Zahid has also said formal negotiations would take place after the Melaka state assembly is dissolved, meaning no final electoral pact had been announced at the time of Akmal’s speech.

Akmal’s position was more specific, however, with the Umno Youth chief openly arguing for cooperation with PAS and presenting Melaka as the next opportunity to test the strategy after Johor and Negri Sembilan.

He said the wing also wanted the party to address issues affecting young Malaysians, including housing, childcare and the financial pressures faced by young families.

Akmal’s Melaka pitch therefore combined a call for cooperation with PAS with a broader demand that Umno’s youth wing be given a meaningful role in shaping the party’s election platform.

The Melaka state assembly’s current term ends in December, while BN won 21 of the 28 seats in the 2021 state election, compared with five won by Pakatan Harapan and two by Perikatan Nasional.

During today’s assembly, Akmal gave a particularly warm welcome to PAS Youth chief Afnan Hamimi Taib, describing the latter’s attendance as the culmination of three years of discussions between the two youth wings on national issues.

He said their pursuit of Malay-Muslim political unity predated the recent Johor and Negri Sembilan elections, where cooperation between Umno and PAS had already produced results.

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由拿督穆罕默德·阿克马尔·萨利赫博士领导的巫统青年团准备与伊斯兰党结盟，参加即将到来的马六甲州选举，这凸显了“团结穆斯林”从政治言辞过渡到可行战略所面临的考验。

阿克马尔强调了利用巫统青年支持的重要性，正如柔佛州和森美兰州所展现的那样，并敦促与伊斯兰党进行正式合作。

阿克马尔在倡导青年参与住房和家庭财务等紧迫问题的同时重申，与伊斯兰党合作可以提高巫统的选举机会，这与州议会任期即将结束之际，党内正在进行的讨论相一致。

吉隆坡，9月10日讯——巫统青年团主席拿督穆罕默德·阿克马尔·萨利赫今日表示，巫统青年团已准备好与伊斯兰党在即将到来的马六甲州选举中合作，并相信其在年轻选民中的支持能够帮助巫统再次赢得选举胜利。

阿克马尔（Akmal）同时也是马六甲州议员，他将马六甲描述为对“团结穆斯林政党”（penyatuan ummah）这一理念能否从政治口号转化为实际选举策略的关键考验。

“马六甲不仅仅是一个州，它还是一次考验——看看我们能否改变现实，而‘penyatuan’（一种菲律宾传统民生制度）将成为基础，而不仅仅是一个理念。”

“柔佛州已经做出了选择，森美兰州也做出了选择。所以我问拿督斯里（扎希德），马六甲州也应该投蓝色，”他在巫统青年团大会上发表讲话时说道。他表示，巫统青年团已做好准备，将延续在柔佛州和森美兰州选举中赢得年轻选民的强劲势头。

阿克马尔表示，该组织已准备好与马六甲的伊斯兰党合作，同时明确表示他本人并未寻求候选人资格。

“如果我们与伊斯兰党在马六甲合作，拿督斯里，我重申，现阶段作为巫统青年团领袖，如果希望联盟是那里的候选人，我不想成为候选人。

“但我相信你很聪明，也肯定你不想看到巫统青年团团长缺席。我们会支持你，”他指的是巫统主席兼国阵主席拿督斯里阿末扎希哈米迪。

阿克马尔发表这番言论之际，巫统和国阵内部仍在就马六甲选举中可能的合作进行讨论。

扎希德本月早些时候表示，他已授权马六甲首席部长兼州国阵主席拿督斯里阿布·拉乌夫·尤索夫与任何一方进行合作谈判，最终的合作伙伴预计将是能够帮助国阵保住对该州控制权的一方。

扎希德还表示，正式谈判将在马六甲州议会解散后进行，这意味着在阿克马尔发表讲话时，尚未宣布最终的选举协议。

然而，阿克马尔的立场更加明确，这位巫统青年团团长公开主张与伊斯兰党合作，并将马六甲视为继柔佛和森美兰之后检验这一策略的下一个机会。

他说，该组织还希望党内能够解决影响马来西亚年轻人的问题，包括住房、托儿服务以及年轻家庭面临的经济压力。

因此，阿克马尔在马六甲的竞选纲领既呼吁与伊斯兰党合作，又提出了更广泛的要求，即让巫统青年团在制定该党的选举纲领中发挥有意义的作用。

马六甲州议会本届任期将于 12 月结束，而国阵在 2021 年州选举中赢得了 28 个席位中的 21 个，希望联盟赢得了 5 个席位，国民联盟赢得了 2 个席位。

在今天的集会上，阿克马尔对伊斯兰党青年团团长阿夫南·哈米米·泰布表示了特别热烈的欢迎，称泰布的出席标志着两个青年组织就国家问题进行了三年的讨论的圆满结束。

他表示，他们追求马来穆斯林政治团结的理念早于最近的柔佛州和森美兰州选举，巫统和伊斯兰党之间的合作已经取得了成果。

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