Umno in good spirits ahead of GE14

The party should not rest on its laurels, as what happens after the election will also be crucial.

AS far as political conferences in Malaysia go, the Umno General Assembly (GA) is the apex of such occasions, unparalleled in its form and unmatched in its scale.

This year’s assembly lived up to expectations. Plenty of rousing speeches. A bit of controversy and innuendos here and there.

And of course, the peculiar sight of Datuk Seri Jamal Yunos parading his new best friend Azwan Ali – estranged celebrity brother of Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azmin Ali – to the masses.

There is nothing quite like it. Even if you’re not a card-carrying member, all of us pay attention to the events that unfold. Whether you like it or not, the GA matters.

This was especially true this year, as party members and observers paid close attention to the proceedings of what will be the final GA before Malaysians head to the polls next year.

Now, it must be said that the key moment of this year’s GA came before it began, thanks to an unimpressive year for the opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan.

As things stand, Pakatan is in disarray: divided over Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s presence, devoid of a credible agenda that goes beyond leakages, and depressed by infighting and the absence of PAS.

These weaknesses played well for Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in this year’s GA, proving that his decision to drag the election dates would strengthen Umno and magnify the cracks in Pakatan’s tenuous coalition.

The mood on the ground seems to be calmer and Najib appears to have consolidated unwavering support among Umno’s members, all of whom were unanimous in their push for the top two party posts to go uncontested.

Furthermore, any form of sympathy towards Dr Mahathir seems to have been weeded out, judging from the rapturous reception to the salvoe0s launched against the former premier.

If there is any key takeaway from the GA, it’s that the electoral momentum is now firmly behind Najib’s Umno and the Opposition appears to be powerless in the wake of this sudden resurgence.

Barring any anomalies, Barisan Nasional should at least retain its majority in the next election.

Having said that, it should be stressed that Umno should not rest on its laurels.

While the path to victory in GE14 could very well be secured, in the long-term, its electoral gains could be torpedoed in a political landscape that appears to be changing quickly.

For starters, this is a country that is getting younger, not older.

The younger voters of today will make up the majority of tomorrow and capturing the aspirations of these voters – who are more inclined to be anti-establishment – will be critical for the long- term survival of the party.

Additionally, there are changing economic headwinds to consider, in which conventional economic solutions may not be enough to capture the public imagination in the face of stagnating incomes and a job market that is rapidly evolving.

Moreover, it is worth considering that a Pakatan defeat could open up room for its younger generation of leaders to rise to the top following GE14. This could reinvigorate the opposition, making it a more serious threat.

It is in this context that Umno youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin’s pitch for Umno to be a party of the future is highly apposite and the benefits are clear for all to see.

Fast-tracking younger leaders would help the party to achieve a convincing victory among young voters.

Consider the appeal of fielding a candidate like Umno Youth exco member Shahril Hamdan – who debated Parti Pribumi Bersatu’s youth chief Syed Saddiq earlier this year.

This would go a long way towards injecting Umno with new intellectual energy.

A fresh narrative of a bold and thriving Malaysia is vital.

This is where Khairy’s pitch to create a new social agenda to ensure that no Malaysian gets left behind is alluring, particularly in the face of a fluid economic landscape where nothing is for certain.

Ultimately, the message is clear: Umno must look beyond GE14 and dare to be a party of the future. Failure to do so could render victory in the next elections pyrrhic.

The ball is now in Najib’s court. The choice is between mere political survival or leaving behind a political legacy that stands the test of time.

Adam Reza is a public affairs and political risk consultant for a consulting firm with an Asean-wide focus. The views expressed here are entirely the writer’s own.