UMNO must master social media to win over young generation

Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia Student Delegates'' Council secretary-general , Nor Liyana Izzati Mohd Fauzi said this was crucial to prevent the current generation from believing wholesale the negative picture and invalid information disseminated by irresponsible quarters which posed a risk of them alienating UMNO.

She said the UMNO social media machinery involving the use of the medium such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram must be empowered further by channelling correct facts to facilitate the understanding of the Generation Y of issues including political slander which certain quarters often raised to topple the party.

"The social media is the main source of reference of youths currently. As such, UMNO must take a serious approach which is comprehensive and planned in nature in channelling information on the party other than opposing all propaganda especially from the opposition to ensure the party get the support of the young.

"Their support is crucial in ensuring UMNO continue to be relevant in line with effort to rejuvenate the party as touted by top party leaders while ensuring effective preparation for facing the 14th general election," she told Bernama here today.

Overseas UMNO Club chairman from Tanta, Egypt, Shahrul Naim Mat Ludin said UMNO leaders in all the party wings must also actively use the social media platforms and interact creatively with the Generation Y.

He said they were the best alternatives to approach the young generation and simultaneously listen to what they had to say via a more friendly, relaxed and not overly rigid.

"Active approaches in the social media such as that adopted by UMNO Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin is among the best examples which should be emulated by other UMNO members in the effort to draw the support of youths for the party.

"The launch of the Malaysia4all application by Malaysia UMNO Information Bureau recently is seen as as among the positive and forward moving steps of the party in fully using the internet," he said.

In the meantime, Malaysian UMNO Welfare Bureau committee member, Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh said credit must be given to UMNO''s top leadership for not lagging in the use of the social media as one of the mediums to interact with UMNO members and the people specifically the young.

"It was difficult to hear the voices of the young in the past due to numerous layers they had to pass through to reach the top leaderships and now we must credit Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak who is active on social media," he said.

He said various problems were voiced out by the followers of the UMNO president''s social site including other leaders, and the responses given were also on the mark and fast.

Dr Muhamad Akmal said the transformation of UMNO must also be done internally whereby UMNO members must be more open to discuss sensitive topics of the Malays such as the special privilege of the Malays to be seen as being more open.

"We have TN50 whereby we discuss our vision for the next 20-30 years, so we must be more open, UMNO members must be able to sit down and discuss the relevance of the special privileges of the Malays and how crucial it is.

"We must see UMNO as relevant not only in the eyes of the Malays but also in the eyes of every Malaysian," he added.