KUALA LUMPUR: Loyalty, discipline and flexibility will be key to Umno’s success in the upcoming state polls and the next general election, says Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, as he urges party members to remain united and adapt to a rapidly shifting political landscape.
The Umno deputy president said the party must be prepared for the Melaka and Johor state elections, as well as the 16th General Election, adding that today’s contests are no longer static.
“Elections today are no longer static. The landscape changes, voters change, issues change. So our strategies must also change,” he said at Umno’s 80th Convention here on Saturday (May 2).
Mohamad stressed that Umno’s electoral strategy would not be fixed in advance but determined by prevailing realities closer to polling day.
“This is not a weakness. This is our strength. We are not bound by old formulas. We will read public sentiment, assess our opponents’ strengths and adjust our approach,” he added.
He said the party’s resilience over the past eight decades was rooted in unity and loyalty, which he described as irreplaceable.
“Only with unity of voice and determination will Umno roar again strongly. A divided party will be easily manipulated and exploited by external political interests,” he said.
Mohamad warned that internal divisions could gradually erode Umno’s influence, urging members to reject attempts to sow discord.
“At this critical moment, there must be no elements trying to pit us against one another,” he said.
Highlighting the demands of modern politics, he said flexibility had become a crucial tool in achieving the party’s goal of reclaiming its dominant position.
“In modern politics, flexibility is a weapon. Victory does not come on its own. It is the result of discipline, strategy and unity. If we are divided, we lose before we even contest,” he said.
Mohamad also highlighted the importance of data-driven campaigning, saying elections today were no longer merely about posters but a “war of data”.
He added that candidates must possess integrity, electability and strong grassroots connections.
“Umno cannot remain as it once was. It must change, and that change must begin now. If we do not change today, the people will replace us tomorrow,” he said.
Reaffirming the party’s standing, Mohamad said Umno remained relevant despite facing challenges.
“Umno is not dead. Umno has not disappeared. Umno is being tested, and each time it is tested, it rises stronger,” he said.
He also stressed the importance of ideology, describing Umno as a movement rooted in the promotion of the interests of Malays and Islam.
“A party in power without ideology will lose its way. It must be guided by a clear moral purpose,” he said, adding that Islam would continue to play a central role in the party’s identity and direction.
