KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Nurul Amal Mohd Fauzi (pic) has defended a proposal to raise the wing's membership age limit to 40 years old, describing it as important to ensure the continuity of young women's leadership within the party.
The Puteri Umno chief dismissed claims that the wing has run out of ideas for making such proposals.
"Are we not deserving of the same opportunity to continue contributing to Umno?
"This age limit proposal is not intended to reject anyone, let alone sideline the experience and contributions of past leaders. Instead, it opens space for generational transition to take place in an orderly, fair, and phased manner.
"A party that wishes to remain relevant cannot depend on a single generation alone.
"Failure to manage leadership transition today means we are gambling with the party's future," she said in her closing speech during the Puteri Umno wing assembly here on Thursday (Jan 15).
The wing's age limit is currently 35.
Meanwhile, she also urged Umno to allow the chance for candidates from the Puteri and Wanita leadership to fulfil the 30% quota of young women candidates, in line with the 40 years age limit for Puteri Umno.
According to her, this step is crucial to ensure that the voices and talents of young women are given appropriate opportunities in the political arena.
"By providing this chance, Umno will not only strengthen its party leadership line-up, but also ensure the continuity of capable, credible, and high-integrity young leadership that can restore Umno's former glory," she said.
Elaborating further, Nurul Amal said the commitment to 30% women's participation must be translated into real opportunities, including in candidate selection ahead of the upcoming Melaka and Johor state elections.
She said the upcoming state elections as an important benchmark to determine whether the commitment is genuinely implemented or merely a promise without action, while stressing that Puteri Umno deserves to be given meaningful and strategic roles.
