PETALING JAYA: As Umno marks its 80th anniversary, the party is moving beyond celebrating its legacy and shifting focus towards building a new generation of leaders to secure its relevance and political survival, says Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The Umno president said the milestone should not merely commemorate the party’s past but serve as a platform for long-term planning and leadership renewal as it charts its course towards its centenary in 2046.
“Over the next 20 years, there must be a new generation of leaders. I must lay a strong foundation before a capable line of successors can steer Umno towards reaching 100 years.
“I hope these can also be translated into concrete action through several major initiatives that I have emphasised, particularly the establishment of Rumah Bangsa,” he said in a special interview in conjunction with the party’s 80th anniversary.
Umno was founded on May 11, 1946.
The Rumah Bangsa is Umno’s reunification initiative by Ahmad Zahid to unite Malays and welcome former members back into the party.
Introduced at last year’s Umno General Assembly, the initiative serves as an open platform to facilitate membership registration, including through online applications without complicated procedures.
Acknowledging that he inherited a party grappling with a crisis of confidence following the 14th General Election, Ahmad Zahid said that Umno has since taken various measures to address its challenges.
“Internal divisions had weakened Umno, and at that time, attacks from external forces were also extraordinarily intense.
“During my first five years leading Umno, I faced many challenges, including internal issues, I inherited from the existence of ‘warlords’ not only at the division level but also at branch and grassroots levels.
“Thankfully, together with the party leadership, we have managed to correct these problems, and the efforts are beginning to bear fruit through several game changers.
“I would not say Umno is fully back on its feet yet, but we are gradually rebuilding the party’s strength.” .
Asked to assess Umno’s position compared to the last two general elections, the party president described unity as one of its emerging strengths.
“When the leadership decided to accept back those who were expelled, suspended or had left the party to join others, it created a new and positive optic for Umno.
“This is something we want to continue. Plans for the next 20 years are already being put in place from now.
“We understand the realities of Malaysia’s new political landscape, we cannot ignore the country’s plural society, and we must embrace that diversity in terms of race, religion, language and culture,” he said.
“Malaysia is a multiracial society and this must be respected and understood by Umno leadership and grassroots. However, it does not mean we are diluting our respective identities. Rather, this is the uniqueness of our country.
“For me, this approach is necessary to build a true nation state through the convergence of ideas and aspirations among leaders and political parties with different backgrounds,” Ahmad Zahid said.
