“We are at the lowest point, as I said last year. At that time, not everyone could believe in us,” he said in his winding-up speech at the wing’s general assembly today.

“We need to approach politics in a new way. We need to adopt a political approach that people want. We need to tell people that Umno has a new generation offering new hope.”

The Merlimau assemblyman was responding to criticism from some quarters suggesting that he makes decisions unilaterally and is not aligned with his own party.

Despite being accused of aligning with Perikatan Nasional, Akmal reaffirmed a deep loyalty to Umno as it remains the sole party representing the Malay people since the time of his ancestors.

“Friends, yes, indeed I am ‘crazy’ (gila). Yes, I am crazy,” he said.

“But with this craziness, today’s Umno Youth is the last line of defence to preserve Umno’s dignity. We are the final hope for the Malays.”

Akmal also said people now view Umno through its younger members rather than its top leadership.

“But if we continue as we are now, and when Umno eventually fades away, if our children blame us, we must not point fingers at anyone else,” he said.