KUALA LUMPUR, 25 March 2009: Umno should give adequate opportunities to new faces and the young generation to share their opinions and contribute in efforts to regain the support of the people, a Puteri Umno leader suggested today.
Norhasmimi Abdul Ghani, the Kuala Krau Puteri Umno division head, said in addition, Umno should also create idols or icons to attract the young generation who were expected to form the majority of the country’s population by the year 2013 and become the deciding factor in future general elections.
“Umno must look for the X-factor to regain the support of the grassroots and the general public,” she said when debating the motion on the policy speech by Puteri Umno head at the movement’s general assembly at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), here today.
She said Umno needed immediate rehabilitation by adopting several approaches including showing strong commitment in strengthening the people’s economy and improving the people’s prosperity.
Referring to the party leadership, Norhasmimi said Umno must eliminate the image of its leaders being too exclusive which made it difficult for the people to get close to them.
She said it was better for the delegates to elect second-class leaders with first-class mind who understood the aspiration of the people rather than electing leaders who ‘appeared’ to be first-class but had second-class thinking.
Meanwhile, Kangar Puteri Umno division head Huzaini Abdul Hamid suggested that an inter-racial forum be held with the Barisan Nasional (BN) partners to strengthen solidarity between the races in the country.
Debating the motion, she said a more effective programme with more regular meetings should be held to discuss sensitive issues pertaining to inter-racial relations in a frank and responsible manner.
Perak delegate Sopiah Kamaruddin, who is also Beruas Puteri Umno division head, wanted the teaching and learning of Mathematics and Science in English to be continued and not be made a political issue by certain quarters.
Haryaty Hamdzah, the delegate from Malacca suggested that the Umno disciplinary board set a benchmark to ensure that no one was victimised in the moves to curb money politics.
In addition, she said, whatever decision made by the board must be speeded up. — Bernama
