UMNO MUST OFFER NEW AGENDA, STOP RELYING ON HISTORICAL NARRATIVES - MOHAMAD

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 14 (Bernama) -- UMNO must offer a new agenda and stop relying solely on historical narratives in facing the 16th general election (GE16), said deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

He said the party must urgently develop a clear roadmap over the next 24 months to ensure UMNO remains relevant and continues to command voters’ confidence.

“A 25-year-old youth working for Grab or Foodpanda is not preoccupied with UMNO’s achievements 40 years ago. He votes based on hope for the future.

“He asks whether his salary is enough and whether he can afford to buy a house. We must offer solutions on wages and careers, and put forward plans for the gig economy and freedom to work,” he said in his speech at the simultaneous opening of the party’s Wanita, Youth and Puteri general assemblies here tonight.

On the current voting landscape, Mohamad said about 50 per cent of voters are young people aged between 18 and 35 who did not grow up during Barisan Nasional’s (BN) heyday.

He said that in addressing changes in the current political landscape, an ideology based solely on Malay nationalism is no longer sufficient to secure voter support.

Mohamad also urged UMNO to accelerate comprehensive digitalisation efforts to ensure the party can function effectively in the online space.

“Perhaps the time has come for us to imagine UMNO as a digital party. UMNO Digital or e-UMNO is not something impossible or beyond reach,” he said.

The UMNO General Assembly 2025 is being held from Jan 14 to 17 at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTCKL), after being postponed twice in August and November last year to allow the party to focus on preparations for the 17th Sabah state election.

The assembly brings together 6,412 delegates nationwide, comprising 2,928 delegates for the UMNO General Assembly, 1,165 for the Wanita UMNO General Assembly, 1,173 for the UMNO Youth General Assembly and 1,146 for the Puteri UMNO General Assembly.

-- BERNAMA