UMNO needs to look at strengths, overcome weaknesses to remain in power - Najib

As a party which wants to continue to be in power, Umno needs to look at its strengths while being aware of its weaknesses which can be overcome, said Umno President Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

He said Umno as well as it members had to go through a process of constant self-evaluation and be open in the process of improving.

"For instance, in the current political environment, we must see that Umno cannot continue depending solely on the rural areas only, but must give attention to the semi-urban areas and those which are said to be urban villages.

"The existence of housing estates in the urban areas which are without Umno branches must be given attention by all of us," he said at the 68th Umno Day celebration at the Putra World Trade Centre here on Sunday.

He said Umno needed to look at efforts to draw the intellectual and scholar groups to join the party and ensure that it does not run dry of intellectual values in its leadership at all levels.

Najib, who is also the Prime Minister, said the ulama (religious) group must also be given attention to be with Umno in determining the future of Islam and Muslims.

He noted that Umno members must realise the speed of social media today and the role that it can play through the Internet in extending influence.

"We must understand that we cannot have a lackadaisical attitude on social media. It is not to say that the group known as bloggers are important but their influence can determine our effectiveness or influence," he said.

He said although Umno needed to change several approaches, the fundamentals and principles of the struggle introduced by previous leaders would not change but would remain intact. He said if seen from the aspect of championing Islam, Umno was the party which had contributed the most in defending the religion in the country.

Najib said the time had come for a syariah index to be drawn up internationally so that venerated scholars can evaluate Umno's struggles in accordance with Islamic principles.

"I am confident and believe that the syariah index, when formulated by international venerated scholars, will show that Umno has contributed much in upholding and spreading Islam in our country," he said.

At the ceremony, Najib also presented the Outstanding Malay Award to two Malay personalities who had contributed immensely to society. They were Tan Sri Hassan Azhari who made the call for prayer during the declaration of independence on August 31, 1957 and Tan Sri Dr Salma Ismail who was the first Malay woman doctor in Malaya in 1947. Earlier, Najib and Umno deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, as well as other senior Umno members had performed at the Dewan Tun Razak 4, PWTC.