KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 15 — Umno Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh today questioned whether Pakatan Harapan component party DAP would ever view Umno positively, saying he had never heard the party acknowledge the ruling coalition partner’s efforts despite working together in government.

Speaking during his policy speech at the Umno Youth annual assembly at Dewan Merdeka, Dr Akmal said some Umno leaders believed DAP could change over time, but he remained sceptical.

“I have never heard DAP say Umno has become good again. I have never heard DAP leaders say, ‘Datuk Seri president, Umno has improved.’ Never,” he said, referring to Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Dr Akmal added that even after Ahmad Zahid received no further action (NFA) for his Yayasan Akalbudi case, critics continued to censure and condemn.

Dr Akmal framed the remarks within a broader warning about Umno’s standing with the public, acknowledging that the party was facing a crisis of trust.

“Today, whether you believe it or not, whether you agree or not, Umno today is facing a crisis of public trust. This is a reality we cannot hide,” he said.

Later in his speech, Dr Akmal stressed that Umno Youth had never sought conflict with its political rivals but would not remain silent if the party’s principles and dignity were trampled.

He cited several recent controversies, including the use of the word “Allah” on socks, halal certification disputes, and the deliberate display of an upside-down flag, questioning who had backed the perpetrators behind these incidents.

“On the issue of the word ‘Allah’ on socks, the party we challenged was KK Mart — but who was it that eagerly backed KK? On the halal issue, what we questioned was the violation of Muslim sensitivities, but who was it that pretended to oppose them yet supported them instead?

“On the issue of the upside-down flag, which was deliberate, the one we challenged was the perpetrator. We did not even mention any party, but who was it that backed and protected them?” he asked.

Dr Akmal warned that he would not back down from defending Umno’s principles, saying he would “fight to the very end” even if reports were lodged against him or others opposed him.

The Umno Youth annual assembly, which runs alongside the party’s general assembly from yesterday to Saturday, gathers delegates from 191 divisions nationwide.