KUALA LUMPUR, June 28 — Umno must first admit its mistakes, give explanation to the grassroots level before apologising to them for its worst defeat in the 14th general election on May 9, said Khairy Jamaluddin.

The Umno presidential candidate said the explanation was important in order for the party to restore the confidence of the grassroots members.

"We have to self-reflect before tendering the apology. If we want to apologise, we have to admit to our mistakes. We have to convince the party members that Umno might have made mistakes. Before we apologise, we have to first explain what are the mistakes,” he said in an interview with Bernama today.

It was reported that another Umno presidential candidate, Tan Sri Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, who is also Gua Musang member of Parliament, said that he would advocate that Umno apologise to Malaysians for failing to fulfil its responsibilities resulting in a severe defeat in the last general election.

Khairy said although he himself had no problem with admitting the party mistakes, an appropriate explanation should also be given to avoid misunderstandings.

"Like me, I admit that it was my mistake to not telling the then president (Datuk Seri Najib Razak) the real situation, the voters’ needs and views on the 1MDB (1Malaysia Development Berhad) issue and so on,” he said.

Five candidates are vying for the party’s presidential post this Saturday namely vice-president who performs the duties of president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Tengku Razaleigh, Khairy, Bandar Tun Razak Umno Division Committee member Mohamed Iqbal Maricair and Umno Iskandar Puteri Division member Mohd Yusof Musa @ Jamaluddin. — Bernama