Daesh real enemies of Umno: Hishammuddin

KUALA LUMPUR: The Daesh militants are the real enemies of Umno, not the opposition.
Stating this, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein urged Umno delegates to see beyond politics for the good of the nation.
"Our consideration is beyond political position, our consideration is beyond individual position, we want to ensure Malaysians, regardless of race or religion, as long as they are Malaysians, Umno will defend their security.
"Our enemy is not (Pandan MP) Rafizi, not (Permatang Pauh MP Datuk Seri) Wan Azizah, not (Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk) Azmin Ali. Our enemy is bigger than them.
"Our enemies are those who are slaughtering (people) on Youtube; the ones who are burning (people) alive in Jordan; who do mass killings in Marawi. This should be our real agenda," he told the Cheras division delegates at its meeting yesterday.
Hishammuddin reiterated the need for unity within the party, stressing that one of Umno's struggles is to spread the counter narrative against Islamic militancy.
"Do not allow anybody to divide us. If Umno is really fighting for the true face of Islam… Islam is under siege at the moment, if that is the phase that has consistently been part of our struggle then we have to work even harder to understand the threats and allegations that have been thrown at Islam," he said.
Noting that Malaysia is respected for its security, Hishammuddin said Malaysians cannot be complacent.
"We are still respected by many because Daesh has not stepped foot on our land. But as of today, the denials that Daesh can never enter the region has now become a reality.
"This is the direct effect of the success of coalition between Mosul (Iraq) and Raqqa (Syria) countries," he said, adding that Mosul and Raqqa have become free from Islamic State occupancy.
However, he cautioned the militants have openly announced that they are looking at this region as an Islamic Caliphate.
"If that is their agenda, of course, this area will be the area of their focus. We will not be exempted from their focus …
"So, if we are messed up with our politics and dispute among us fighting for position and power we would become vulnerable to IS," Hishammuddin told a press conference after opening the division meeting.
He said Malaysia's established relationship with Saudi Arabia among others was for the common struggle.
"If Islamic ummah is forever divided then we will only walk into the hands of the militants who are striving to exploit them. This will not only happen to Islam, it will happen to other religions as well," he said.