KUALA LUMPUR: Umno must adjust its mindset to thrive in today's evolving political landscape and regain the trust of the Malay community, says party vice-president Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani.
In his winding-up speech at the Umno General Assembly today, he said that the party's current political strategy needed to adopt a more progressive and modest approach.
"Umno fought for independence in 1946 and achieved it in 1957. We developed the country and held power for 60 years. However, while we once believed the Malays needed Umno to thrive, it now appears that Umno needs the Malays. Why is this the case?
"Consider the election results: in Kelantan, Umno holds only three out of 45 state seats. In Terengganu, Kedah, and Perlis, we hold none of the seats. In Selangor, we have just two out of 56 seats. These are areas with significant Malay populations. If the Malays truly needed Umno, our results would be different," he added.
Johari said that the shifting political landscape demanded Umno to rethink its strategies and abandon outdated methods.
"If we continue with the same mindset and strategies, nothing will change. Politics is dynamic. Umno has been dynamic before. In 1955, when we contested under the Alliance Party, we included MCA and MIC, recognising that development required broad inclusion.
"In 1974, our integration with Sabah and Sarawak after their entry into Malaysia demonstrated our dynamism. Similarly, since 2022, partnering with PH (Pakatan Harapan) with only 30 parliamentary seats illustrates our adaptability. However, this dynamism should not alter Umno's core direction. We need to see how this dynamism can be aligned with addressing the needs of the Malay community," he said.
Johari, who is also Titiwangsa Member of Parliament, said that to restore Malay confidence in Umno, the party must address critical issues and enhance the socioeconomic status of the Malay community.
"Following our loss in the 14th General Election, unemployment reached 630,000, with 287,000 Bumiputera, or 61.5 per cent. Of these, 274,000 were youths aged 30 and below, or 70.1 per cent. Among skilled Malay workers, only 29 per cent earn high wages, while 70 per cent remain in semi-skilled or low-skilled jobs. Additionally, there are 2.035 million 'underemployed' individuals without academic qualifications, 1.85 million of whom are Malays and Bumiputera.
"There is significant work ahead. These figures highlight the need for Umno to reverse current trends and improve the situation for Malays and Bumiputera moving forward," he said.