Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today urged Umno to learn from the successes of US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in influencing public perception through social media.

The two were "unpopular" figures who eventually led their party to win elections, the Umno vice-president told some 2,000 Wanita Umno members gathered at PWTC's Dewan Tun Hussein Onn today.

"This is the fact that we must accept. We hope what we are doing today is based on lessons from past experiences, people who were unpopular but then became top leaders," said Ahmad Zahid in his speech to launch Wanita Umno's re-branded Information and Media Unit.

He said a similar level of dominance over "non-conventional" media channels had also led to Trump's victory against former secretary of state Hillary Clinton.

"The one who became America's president; the perception was that he would lose, that he would be unacceptable, he would be hated by the Muslims and non-white Americans.

"But because of the control over social media by his communication team, he was inaugurated as president. This is what we must learn," he stressed.

At the same time, Zahid said that party members should have their own mould to counter attacks against Umno, instead of just emulating the successes of Modi or Trump.

Zahid also repeated claims that the opposition had sent their own team of cybertroopers for "training" in Taiwan, Europe and other countries.

As a result, Zahid said there were studies conducted which found that the opposition's cybertroopers have maintained more than 90 percent control of influence on social media.

Pro-government online operatives only represents some 6.6 percent or a ratio of one to 15, he said.

"We must change the medium of communication among us. If we fail and drown in these negative perceptions, the impression from outsiders would be that we are guilty," said

He also cautioned against the propaganda tactic of repeating false news until accepted as the truth.

"There must be a correlation between us (Umno) doing our best and the rakyat's perception," he added.

In his speech, Ahmad Zahid also touched on the role of Wanita Umno as part of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's 30-year transformation plan or TN50.

He said more Malaysian women should be recognised internationally in their respective fields.

Meanwhie, Wanita Umno chief Shahrizat Abdul Jalil in her opening address said the wing's information squad must keep up with the times.

She said Umno's vision could not be communicated to the masses without the women's wing.

Also present at the event were Umno supremee council member Special Affairs Department (Jasa) chief Mohd Puad Zarkashi and National Civics Bureau (BTN) director-general Ibrahim Saad.