Poison pen letters and SMS slandering Umno candidates in the coming party poll are unlikely to influence delegates in casting their ballots, says Umno Youth chief Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.

umno youth and hishamuddin hussein “Such culture cannot and will not influence the thinking of the delegates. It's important for us to ensure that the line-up for the coming team reflects the new landscape, new politics without being influenced by such negative culture,” Hishamuddin told Bernama said after launching the Education Service Officers' Career Path Book, in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

He said this when asked to comment on the circulation of slanderous poison-pen letters and SMS received by various Umno division members including himself.

Hishamuddin who is contesting one of the three Umno vice-president's seats, was also asked whether the accusations were made by Umno people and he replied: "I don't know. But what is certain is that they are being made when I am offering myself as a candidate for a party post."

Changing political landscape

Meanwhile, Umno information chief Muhammad Muhd Taib wants the party to return to its original struggle of championing the rights and interests of the Malay community when it was established in 1946.

Speaking to Bernama at his Shah Alam residence recently, he said that Umno has to undertake a restoration process within the party if it wishes to remain as the platform for the struggle of Malay interests.

Such a restoration would keep pace with the changing political landscape and win back the people's trust and confidence in Umno, he said.

umno supreme council special meeting 260809 muhammad mohd taib Muhammad explained that before Umno's inception, those struggling for the interests of the Malays were mainly groups such as the teachers' associations, Kampung Baru traders' association, Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang-born associations, which with various other groups, formed Umno.

He added that maybe Umno is now detached from such groups and should now move closer to NGOs, various trade associations and chambers of commerce which struggled for Malay interests so that they could all work together.

As for the younger generation, he said Umno must space for the younger generation's ideas and philosophies to be heard.

"The youths want transparency and fairness, hence Umno needs to adopt new, suitable approaches, which can also win public support, including from non-Malays,” he explained.