Umno cannot rely on legacy alone
KUALA LUMPUR: Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani has called for a major shift in party strategy to better align with younger Malaysian voters.
Speaking at the Titiwangsa Umno division delegates' meeting today, Johari acknowledged that while the party was historically instrumental in achieving independence and laying the nation's foundations, it can no longer rely on its legacy alone to secure support.
"Younger generations today are educated, critical, and capable of evaluating leaders based on merit, integrity, and ideas — not sentiment or nostalgia," said Johari, who is the Titiwangsa Umno division chief.
The Titiwangsa member of parliament said the younger demographic now constitutes over 40 per cent of the electorate, and their expectations of political leadership differ greatly from those of previous generations.
"They are less interested in historical achievements and more concerned with issues such as transparency, integrity, environmental sustainability, and inclusive governance.
"They don't want to hear about what we did 60 years ago.
"They want to know what we're doing today and what we'll do tomorrow.
"They want leaders who are transparent, who can articulate policy, who are not tainted by corruption, and who care about future generations, not just winning elections," said the plantation and commodities minister.
He said that if the party fails to evolve, it risks continuing its electoral decline, as seen in the past general elections (from the 12th to the 14th general election), where support dwindled significantly.
He also stressed that Umno leaders at all levels — from branch to national — must actively engage with young voters and understand their values, ideas, and aspirations.
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