BN cannot live on past successes, must become party of the future, says chief Zahid
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Mr Zahid said that BN must step out of the shadows of nostalgia of past successes.
PHOTO: ZAHID HAMIDI/FACEBOOK
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KUALA LUMPUR - Rebranding Malaysia’s Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition to reel in young voters is one of the three pillars of the “Moving Forward” framework, said its chairman Zahid Hamidi on Dec 7.
“What I mean by rebranding is not a change of logo (and as such) but more of being attractive to the young voters who are not being reached by the BN machinery (during elections),” said Datuk Seri Zahid after attending the BN Convention in conjunction with its golden jubilee celebrations in 2024.
He said that there is a need to reel in the young voters if the coalition wants to win big in the next general election.
Earlier in his speech, Mr Zahid, who is also Umno president and the deputy prime minister, said that the coalition must step out of the shadows of nostalgia of past successes.
He said that its defeat in the 2018 General Election, which booted BN out of Putrajaya, was a bitter lesson that should not be repeated, and the coalition needs to accept the reality for change.
“In the past, Barisan Nasional stood strong with 13 component parties, but the defeat in the 2018’s general election weakened part of our strength. Now, we are down to just four.
“Our survival depends on our readiness to open space for political cooperation. After 2018, we worked to form political coalitions with Muafakat Nasional, Perikatan Nasional, and now, we are destined to be together in the unity government.
“Let us step out of the shadows of the past and together create a brighter future. BN is no longer a party of nostalgia, but must become a party of the future.
“Many view BN as no longer relevant, like an old political partner who has fallen behind and is seen as out of step with the aspirations of the younger generation,” he said.
Mr Zahid said BN’s image is often trapped in nostalgia, where past achievements are celebrated, but the future remains uncertain and unclear.
“This is the reality we must acknowledge. We must move forward, open-minded, aware of the truth, and free ourselves from the cocoon of denial.
“BN can no longer live off past successes. N must be a catalyst for the changing times – an agent of change. Let this convention be the starting point for engineering a better future for all of us,” he added.
He listed the five changes the coalition leaders must take - let go of party ego, expand inclusivity, adapt to change, embrace new political norms and manage priorities.
“We must admit, some of our actions have not kept up with the times. True, victory is important, but it is not everything. What is more important is the process of building sustainable strength.
“I want us to create a more strategic and relevant plan that is not outdated. We cannot only rely on quick success without careful planning,” said Mr Zahid, who called for a coalition retreat.
The event was attended by leaders from all component parties including Umno, MCA, MIC, PBRS and Friends of BN.
About 5,000 delegates attended the one-day convention.
Meanwhile, national news agency Bernama reported that the other two pillars of the “Moving Forward” framework are “Redefine” and “Realign”. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
