KUALA LUMPUR: Umno must champion patriotic values and ensure the younger generation upholds the principles of the Rukun Negara, says a Melaka Umno delegate.
Alor Gajah Umno division deputy chief Datuk Dr Mustafa Musa said the party should play a leading role in promoting patriotic values, while the Education and Higher Education ministries must ensure that young people are instilled with the five principles of the Rukun Negara.
“Umno must champion patriotic values. The Education Ministry and the Higher Education Ministry must ensure that the younger generation upholds these values,” he said when debating the president’s policy speech at the 2026 Umno General Assembly on Saturday (Sept 12).
Mustafa said the Melaka government had taken steps to foster patriotism and strengthen national integration by making it compulsory for all departments and agencies to sing the national anthem and the Melaka state anthem every Monday.
“Eventually, we received a reference from Putrajaya, which adopted the same method. It all started in Melaka,” he said.
On another matter, Mustafa said Umno must also understand the aspirations and lives of young people if it wanted to remain relevant and continue to win their support.
He said the results of the Johor and Negri Sembilan state elections showed that young voters had returned to Umno.
“However, if even the course of a river can change, so can the hearts of people. What happened yesterday may not happen again tomorrow,” he said.
Mustafa cited the 2026 Chief Minister’s Caring for the People Tour, which allowed Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh to personally visit communities by riding a motorcycle through lanes, trails and villages to see for himself the lives and circumstances of the people.
“Without protocol, leaders come to knock on the doors of the people’s hearts. As long as there are people in need, our responsibility is not over,” he said.
