KUALA LUMPUR, May 2 — Negeri Sembilan Umno will defer to party leadership on its next course of action following its withdrawal of support for the menteri besar, including any decision on a potential replacement, its chief Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias said today.

Jalaluddin said the state chapter would abide by decisions made by Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) leadership, including whether the next menteri besar should come from outside Umno.

“We will wait and see what the leadership decides, be it BN or PH. It is not for Negeri Sembilan Umno to determine,” he told reporters when met outside Merdeka Hall at the World Trade Centre.

He stressed that the current political crisis was “extraordinary”, following the decision by 14 Umno assemblymen on April 27 to withdraw support for the menteri besar.

Jalaluddin said the move came after issues the group could no longer accept, adding that the crisis was triggered by what he described as mismanagement by the menteri besar that disrupted the state’s political harmony.

“This is not about politics, power or ‘tebuk atap’ (back door). This concerns governance and the institutions of adat and the Negeri Sembilan monarchy,” he said.

He added that the loss of confidence by the 14 assemblymen was final and not a shifting political stance.

“If we have pulled support and the menteri besar continues to govern, it means we have lost trust,” he said.

Jalaluddin reiterated that Umno Negeri Sembilan is prepared to take on the role of opposition if directed by party leadership, potentially until the next general election.

“What we will do next depends on Umno’s decision. We don’t mind being in the opposition and if we are to be in the opposition, we will remain so until GE16,” he said.

On speculation over a replacement menteri besar, including the possibility of a PKR candidate, he said the matter was premature.

He warned that public debate surrounding the issue risked creating confusion, particularly among younger Malaysians, and could harm the reputation of Negeri Sembilan’s adat institutions.

“The question now is not about individuals or positions, but about the responsibility of a menteri besar. We cannot allow a crisis like this to happen, especially one involving adat,” he said.

“When such matters are debated openly, many will not fully understand adat. This can lead to negative perceptions and confusion among youths and students,” he added.

Jalaluddin said Umno was compelled to act to prevent further damage.

Earlier in his speech, Jalaluddin said many had accused Umno of betraying the government, but they forget that in 2023, Umno Negeri Sembilan won 14 seats — the most among all parties.

In the 2023 Negeri Sembilan state polls, Umno secured 14 seats, followed by PKR (five), DAP (11), Perikatan Nasional (five), and Amanah (one).

Jalaluddin pointed out that with the strongest representation at the time, he could have moved to destabilise the government earlier if he had intended to do so.

“If I wanted to stir something, I could have done it then but I respected the federal leadership’s call to maintain peace and stability so that we could work together,” he said.

He said Umno had continued to play its role within the state government over the past two-and-a-half years, including holding four executive council (exco) positions.

Rejecting accusations of a “tebuk atap” (backdoor takeover), Jalaluddin said such claims were misplaced.

“Tebuk atap is when you try to take over the government from outside. We are already part of the government — we have exco positions and allocations. What ‘tebuk atap’ is this?” he asked.

He stressed that the withdrawal of support was prompted by dissatisfaction with the state government’s handling of a recent crisis, which he said could not be compromised.

“We are also close to the general election, but we cannot compromise when there is failure in governance,” he said.

Jalaluddin said Umno Negeri Sembilan would now sit in the opposition for as long as it believes the state government is not performing effectively.

He added that the party would focus on strengthening its position ahead of the next general election.

“We will do our best to win all seats. We do not need to cater to others’ feelings. As chairman of the state Umno machinery, it is my responsibility to ensure we are in a dominant position,” he said.

He also rejected claims that Umno’s actions were motivated by a desire for power or positions.

“Umno Negeri Sembilan is not greedy or hungry for posts. We did not want to disrupt the momentum, but we acted because we have principles we cannot abandon — integrity, and our promises to religion and nation,” he said.

Reaffirming the party’s stance, Jalaluddin ended with a firm message: “No retreat, no surrender.”

KUALA LUMPUR, May 2 — Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan today called for a sweeping reinvention of the party, warning that it risks being left behind if it fails to adapt to shifting voter sentiment and reconnect with Malays who are increasingly drifting away.

Speaking at Umno’s 80th anniversary gathering — which coincided with his 70th birthday — the Rembau MP said the party could no longer rely on legacy or nostalgia to stay relevant.

“Reality is, Malays are not as close to us as before. Some even say they no longer need Umno,” he said.

“However, Umno is not dead. Despite all the trials and tribulations, Umno is being tested and whenever we are tested, we come back stronger,” he said in his opening speech at the convention at the World Trade Centre.

Mohamad acknowledged that the party’s loss of federal power in 2018 had eroded public trust, but said Umno has since drawn strength from the crisis and grassroots loyalty.

Framing the party’s future around adaptability, he stressed that Umno must move away from rigid political formulas and adopt a more flexible, data-driven approach ahead of state elections and the next general election.

“Elections today are no longer static. This is not weakness — flexibility is our strength,” he said, adding that modern campaigns are now a “war of data” rather than traditional ceramah-driven contests.

He cautioned that internal divisions would undermine any chance of a political comeback.

“If we fight among ourselves before the general election, we will lose,” he warned.

He also urged the party to undertake a deeper ideological reset, saying Umno must better define its direction in the face of digitalisation and globalisation, particularly as younger, digitally native voters grow up in a borderless political environment.

At the same time, Mohamad said Umno must balance its role as a political vehicle for Malays and Islam with the realities of Malaysia’s multicultural society.

“Umno’s future cannot be separated from Malaysia’s ambitions; it must align with them,” he said.

Despite acknowledging waning support, he insisted Umno remains central to Malaysia’s political stability, arguing that strong governments still depend on the party’s participation, alongside its experience in managing crises and the loyalty of its grassroots base.

Looking ahead, Mohamad said Umno’s goal is to return as a dominant political force, but only if it is willing to change.

“If we do not change, the rakyat will change us,” he said, adding that with state elections in Johor and Melaka approaching, the party needed a clear direction to secure victory.

He said Malays were no longer as “mesra” with Umno as before and claimed that many had forgotten the party’s contributions to nation-building.

“That’s fine, we will fix this and we will do it with the people’s sentiments as the driving force. We will ask what future we want, what kind of Malaysia we want, and build our strong nation on the backbone of strong, proud Malaysians,” he said.

Mohamad added that challenges must be faced with an open mind, saying his 70th birthday marked a personal shift in focus.

“It’s not about me or my career anymore. At this point, all I want to do is give back to the people, the party, Islam, and Malays, and we will strive to be the dominant force in Malaysia again,” he said.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 2 — Umno secretary-general Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki today said the party has recorded an extraordinary surge in new memberships, crediting a “gamechanger” move by the party president for enabling online registration.

Asyraf said that in a break from tradition, this year’s party celebration is not an exclusive event.

“We have never distanced ourselves from the people. This year’s celebration is special — it runs until May 5,” he said in his opening speech on day two of Umno’s 80th anniversary at the World Trade Centre today.

“But what happened yesterday was something else entirely.”

According to the party secretariat, something “extraordinary” occurred when the online membership registration system, which also issues membership cards, saw crowds forming long before counters opened.

“We opened the counter at 10 am, but by 8.30 am, people were already queuing up for their cards,” Asyraf said.

He added that since online registration was first opened on April 20 until 8 am today, a total of 13,954 new members had joined Umno through the initiative, and thanked party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for the effort.

“So a huge thanks and congratulations to Datuk Seri Zahid for this successful initiative,” he said.

The breakdown showed Umno Youth recording 8,233 new members, followed by 1,260 from Wanita Umno and 1,240 from Puteri Umno.

Johor recorded the highest number of new members, followed by Pahang and Perak.

“I can say here, almost every day, this number is increasing,” he said.

“This shows what the president wished for — not to make it difficult for youth to join Umno by easing the process of filling up membership forms. The supreme council can then acknowledge them as equal members alongside other Umno members.”

Asyraf described the online registration system as a “gamechanger”, saying full credit should go to the party president.

“This is a gamechanger by our president. All credit and praise should go to him for this,” he said.

He stressed that Umno’s 80th anniversary celebrations were not merely ceremonial, but carried significant implications for the party’s future direction.

“Our journey will be difficult, but our party is ‘keramat’ (sacred). We will continue to strengthen religion and race, and ensure our multicultural nation continues to be blessed by God,” he said.