Umno president urges party to strengthen solidarity, machinery

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 9 — Strengthening solidarity, streamlining party machinery and staying close to the people were among the key messages delivered by Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi at a briefing today, as the party gears up for the next election.

Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said Ahmad Zahid urged party members to be grateful for the victories in the Johor and Negeri Sembilan state elections, and not to become complacent.

“...and it is important that we continue to build and strengthen the party, and ensure that it continues to enjoy the people’s confidence,” said the defence minister when met after the briefing held in conjunction with the 2026 Umno General Assembly here.

Another vice-president, Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, said Ahmad Zahid reminded party members not to become arrogant following Barisan Nasional’s (BN) victories in the two state elections.

He said the victories did not guarantee that BN would win the next election, adding that the party must continue working hard to win the people’s confidence and address its weaknesses.

“Do not become arrogant. We must continue working. We need to convince the people that Barisan Nasional has learnt a lot from its experience and that we will work to address all our weaknesses,” said the Investment, Trade and Industry Minister.

Meanwhile, Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said the president’s message at the briefing focused on strengthening solidarity among party leaders in facing an increasingly dynamic political landscape.

He said the briefing was a longstanding tradition held before the Umno General Assembly and served as a platform for the president to convey his message and direction to the party leadership.

“One of the clear messages conveyed by the president was the need for all leaders to strengthen solidarity so that we can face the growing challenges of an increasingly dynamic political landscape,” he said.

Another Supreme Council member, Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir, confirmed that there was no specific discussion on any formula or external political cooperation during the closed-door briefing.

He said the focus instead was entirely on ensuring the smooth conduct of the meeting, adhering to party guidelines and strengthening the party machinery in preparation for the 16th General Election (GE16).

“As usual, the president’s message before the assembly only covers party guidelines. As for cooperation, we are focusing solely on matters relating to the conduct of this meeting,” said the BN secretary-general.

Negeri Sembilan Umno Liaison Committee chairman Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias said the message and mandate delivered by the Umno president placed particular emphasis on internal unity as a key condition for the party’s success.

He said the directive was important in preparing the party machinery for the various upcoming elections, including state and general elections.

“There is no reason why we cannot repeat our major victories in Johor and Negeri Sembilan, provided there is solidarity and unity among Umno’s machinery and leadership at all levels,” he said. — Bernama