KUALA LUMPUR, January 15 — Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan has called on party members to stop relying on past achievements and instead focus on offering future-oriented solutions as the party prepares for the 16th general election (GE16).
Speaking at the opening of the Wanita, Youth and Puteri wings during the 2025 Umno General Assembly, Mohamad, widely known as Tok Mat, said the next 24 months are critical for reconnecting with voters, especially those aged 18 to 35 who now form nearly half of the electorate.
He said younger voters are not driven by nostalgia or party loyalty, but by practical concerns such as income, housing, career prospects and work flexibility, adding that Umno must embrace “creative disruption” to stay relevant in a political landscape dominated by digital platforms.
Warning that failure to change would render the party irrelevant, Mohamad stressed that Malay nationalism alone is no longer enough to win support from a generation focused on justice, quality of life and tangible solutions.
In a separate address, Mohamad rejected claims that Umno is weak within the unity government, insisting the party remains an effective check and balance. He cited Umno’s role in delaying the proposed Urban Renewal Act, opposing local council elections.
And safeguarding Bumiputera economic institutions as proof of its continued influence, reaffirming that Umno will contest GE16 under the Barisan Nasional banner with the aim of returning as a leading political force.
