After suffering its first ever general election defeat, Umno must learn from Pakatan Harapan on how to become a strong opposition, its Puteri chief Mas Ermieyati Samsudin said.

"The members and leaders of Umno must change immediately, they must accept defeat, rise and react... and get ready to work in difficult situations.

"We have to look at how the past opposition, which is now the government, how its path to where it is now was rife with difficulties.

"We must take the positives from that to be a good and effective opposition and bring stability to whatever the government of today is doing," Mas Ermieyati told Malaysiakini.

She said this while commenting on Umno's future direction and strategy to regain the people's support following the end of its 61 years at the country's helm.

The former deputy tourism and culture minister is one of 47 Umno lawmakers in the Peninsula who survived last week's general election.

The loss has led to the resignation of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak as Umno president.

Party polls to be held in June

Fresh party polls will be held next month, although it is unclear if the post of president and deputy president - currently held in the interim by Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Hishammuddin Hussein respectively - will be contested.

Regardless, Mas Ermieyati said that the Umno leadership elections should not be the party's main agenda at the moment.

"What is most important is uniting the party immediately, that is most important... the rest will come later," she said.

When the time does come for the Umno elections, the Puteri Umno chief said, the party should elect a new leadership with good credentials.

"Choose a new leadership which must have good characteristics, track record and those who can shine a new light for the party," she said.

Mas Ermieyati also took the opportunity to thank Najib for his time as president, saying he had contributed much to Umno and the development of Malaysia.