UMNO must rise, work hard, remain united, and set aside all personal interests in facing the current mammoth test, said UMNO vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.

He said that UMNO cannot rest on its laurels lest the party be just like other parties.

"UMNO's journey had been long, winding and full of blood, sweat and tears but the party persevered in its struggle to be the best for the Malays and Malaysians," he said in a statement in conjunction with UMNO's 69th anniversary Monday.

As such, Hishammuddin who is also Defence Minister called on UMNO members of all ages to take up the challenge to honour the race with dignity, wisdom, honesty and sincerity.

Meanwhile, Wanita UMNO admitted that the party was going through a challenging phase, especially in restoring UMNO's credibility and buying its way into the people's hearts.

"Measures to regain the people's confidence in UMNO must be taken immediately so that the problem does not fester and become serious like cancer," said its chief, Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil in a statement, here.

She said Wanita UMNO believes whatever steps need to be taken, UMNO must tread cautiously, in the interests of the party and Bumiputera.

After the British returned to Malaya in the aftermath of World War II, the Malayan Union was formed but the Union was met with much opposition due to its constitutional framework, which allegedly threatened Malay sovereignty over Malaya.

A series of Malay congresses were held, culminating in the formation of the nationalist party, UMNO on 10 May 1946 at the Third Malay Congress in Johor Baharu, with Datuk Onn Jaafar as its leader.