Tok Mat says past time for Umno to ‘stop selling history, start selling the future’

Tok Mat says past time for Umno to ‘stop selling history, start selling the future’



Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan attends the opening of the Wanita, Youth, and Puteri wings at the 2025 Umno General Assembly at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur on January 14, 2026. — Picture by Firdaus Latif

Thursday, 15 Jan 2026 8:53 AM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 15 — Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan has unveiled a new strategy to modernise the party ahead of the 16th general election (GE16), issuing a clear directive to members: “Stop selling history and start selling the future.”

Speaking at its annual assembly yesterday, Mohamad, also known as Tok Mat, said the next 24 months were crucial for reconnecting with voters, particularly young people aged 18 to 35, who now make up around half of the electorate.

He argued that this demographic does not vote based on party loyalty or nostalgia for Barisan Nasional’s (BN) “golden era.”

“They are a generation without nostalgia. They do not vote based on party loyalty.


“All they have seen on TikTok since adolescence is slander and falsehoods,” he said, stressing that the party must shift its focus from past achievements to future solutions.

For this, Mohamad said Umno must address the everyday concerns of young voters, such as income, housing, career opportunities, and flexible work arrangements.

He also introduced the concept of “creative disruption,” calling for innovative measures to adapt to a new political landscape where digital platforms, not just party branches, determine voter support.


“We need creative disruption because in the last two elections, Umno has gone through extraordinary turmoil. We were stripped of power and faced rejection from Malay voters. Drastic realities demand drastic responses,” he warned.

“If we do not change, we will fall behind and become irrelevant.”

He added that Malay nationalism alone was no longer sufficient to attract a new generation of voters who are more focused on justice, quality of life, and practical solutions.

Mohamad confirmed that the party would contest GE16 under the Barisan Nasional banner with the aim of returning as the “flagship” political force.

“Umno’s ship may sail through stormy seas, but we have never perished. We will return,” he declared.