Zahid calls for ‘something extraordinary’ to avoid Umno closing shop

The party president says Umno and its partners in Barisan Nasional must undergo rebranding and adopt political marketing strategies.

Party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Umno would not get anywhere ‘even if our product is good, but external perceptions of us remain negative’.

KUALA LUMPUR:

 Umno must move out of its comfort zone and take extraordinary steps, including generating new ideas, to enable the party to regain its dominance in the country’s political landscape, party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told members today.

He said Umno must no longer be seen as a party rooted in nostalgia, but instead must undergo rebranding, including the adoption of political marketing strategies. This approach should not only involve Umno but also its partners in Barisan Nasional.

“We must think about our direction not only 20 years from now, but also the fact that in about 22 months we will be facing a general election. Therefore, from now on, we must have good products, branding and marketing.

“We must do something extraordinary, because if the people make the same decisions as in the 2018 and 2022 general elections — the period of our decline — I fear that 20 years from now, when Umno reaches 100 years of age, we will have to close shop,” he said.

Zahid’s remarks came in a speech at the first anniversary dinner of the Umno political school held here tonight.

The party president said efforts to strengthen Umno and Barisan Nasional must also involve countering negative narratives and perceptions levelled against them, which have resulted in voters distancing themselves from the party.

“Even if our product is good, but external perceptions of us remain negative, Umno will not go anywhere. This perception is our collective nightmare, so we must dismantle it properly,” he said.

Zahid said graduates of the political school are Umno’s future leaders and also serve as the party’s young thinkers in helping to analyse issues and provide input to the party’s top leadership. - FMT