KUALA LUMPUR: Umno must avoid using race as well as religion as 'weapons' to win the elections, said party vice-president Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
Capitalising on these sentiments, he said, is no longer suitable in the 21st century in the attempts by the party to win support from the Malays.
"We must make the Malay generation better, more competitive, more knowledgeable, and more global.
"We can no longer use race and religion as weapons to win in the elections. Such sentiments are no longer suitable for Malays in the 21st century.
"We want Malays who are wise and who can be the catalyst for a new revolution in Malaysia's industrial, digital, and economic advancement," said Khaled in his winding-up speech at the Umno General Assembly here today.
He added that Umno must operate according to the reality of the present political landscape.
"This is not a new approach or something that is done suddenly out of desperation.
"This is the approach adopted by the party since it started governing the country from the first day it achieved its independence.
"I am confident that most Umno members and supporters understand this very well," he said.