BN In Challenging Times - Muhyiddin

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 24 (Bernama) -- The Barisan Nasional (BN) should take drastic action to arrest the decline in support.
And, the ruling coalition of 13 political parties should do this fast, Umno deputy president aspirant Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said today.
"We are not concerted in our efforts. Because we are late in instituting changes, many think that Umno will not change. If we take too long a time to change, the people will not wait for us.
"The pre-March 2008 (the last general election where the BN lost its two-thirds majority in Parliament) situation still has not changed.
"We must be more effective and do extraordinary things in extraordinary times," he said at the prize-giving ceremony of the Tan Sri Muhyiddin charity golf tournament at the MINES Golf and Beach Resort here.
Muhyiddin, who is also international trade and industry minister, said it was not only Umno -- the backbone of the BN -- that needed to change, but also all other component parties.
"The longer we wait to initiate changes, the longer we change, the situation gets worse. The people are not going to wait for us. We also have to look at the BN component parties, be it MCA, Gerakan, MIC or other component parties.
"We need drastic changes and Umno must take the lead in this. We are fearful of the situation. There are many programmes that must be implemented and grassroots leaders must work with the leaders at the top to institute these changes," he said.
On the economy, the minister said Malaysia was far better in facing the latest global economic crisis than many other nations.
Muhyiddin, who accompanied Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in his just-concluded visit to Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates said although the nation was not in economic recession, the global economic situation was not getting any better.
"There are some sub-sectors which have already reported a downturn in exports. Electronics and electrical industries have already been hit. The first economic stimulus package is just a start.
"Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is also finance minister, has announced that there is a possiblity of a second stimulus package. Malaysians must remain resilient. Although we are not in recession, we must take steps to cushion the impact of the crisis," he added.
Meanwhile the charity golf tournament today netted RM20,000, which was handed over to the Gaza Humanitarian Fund run by Berita Harian.

tunku : BN must change not only Umno or the other components in it. Now all the parties are moving separately.they are not moving as one. BN should move as ONE again and make the necessarily changes TOGETHER.they should organize things together and join hand in hand to get the support back, not blaming each other and trying to be hero infront of each supporters.