Malay disunity will erode Sabah, Sarawak’s confidence in West Malaysian leaders, says Khaled

Umno vice-president Khaled Nordin has warned that Malay disunity could undermine the confidence of Sabah and Sarawak in the West Malaysian leaders' ability to govern the nation. Khaled made the remarks during his concluding address at the Umno general assembly in Kuala Lumpur. He stressed that if the Malays cannot be managed effectively, it would be difficult to convince the allies in Sabah and Sarawak to have faith in the West Malaysian leadership.

Khaled reminded that since Malaysia's formation, peninsular Malays have been entrusted with leading the country and developing it, while leaders in East Malaysia are closely watching the infighting among the Malays, questioning whether West Malaysians should still be entrusted with leading the nation. Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan had earlier stated that Sabah and Sarawak are "kingmakers" rather than "safe deposits," underscoring the need for East Malaysia's support for forming the government.

Khaled also hinted at a future decision on raising the Puteri Umno membership age limit from 35 to 40, which will be determined after the 16th general election. Puteri Umno chief Nurul Amal Fauzi had previously explained that the proposal aimed to ensure leadership continuity and prevent leaders from being sidelined once they reach the current age limit of 35.