Mat Hasan: Gen Z, millenials key to Umno's future

UMNO AGM | Umno should empower more “Gen Z” and millennials to support its upcoming election campaigns, said party deputy president Mohamad Hasan.

In his speech to open the Wanita, Youth, and Puteri wings general assembly, Mohamad reflected on the recent youth-led uprising in Bangladesh which overthrew former prime minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed.

Citing media reports that described the situation as a “Generation Z revolution”, the foreign minister said similar developments could be seen in other countries, including France, Iran, Kenya and more.

“A few years ago, we (Umno) were also faced with a Gen Z and millennials uprising.

“When Undi-18 was enforced, we were hit at all angles by Gen Z and millennials. And we finally slipped from the pinnacle of power,” he said, referring to Umno’s worst electoral defeat in the 14th general election after six decades in government.

Looking forward, Mohamad said Umno will face a tougher challenge in GE16 if the party fails to address the aspirations of Gen Z.

He stressed that the younger generations have no “sentimental attachment” to Umno, growing up at a time when the party no longer held political dominance.

“To the Umno Youth and Puteri Umno, for sure the party lays hope on all of you to find a solution to this ‘mega’ challenge,” he said to delegates at Dewan Merdeka, WTC Kuala Lumpur.

Also present were Umno wing leaders, Wanita Umno chief Noraini Ahmad, Umno Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh and Puteri Umno chief Nurul Amal Mohd Fauzi.

Indonesian observations

In his speech, Mohamad also reflected on his observations of the joint Indonesian legislative and presidential elections held on Feb 14.

Among others, he credited the creative use of media to mobilise campaigns for over 250,000 candidates in more than 20,000 seats at three legislative levels, as well as three pairs of presidential candidates.

“Very, very creative. All kinds of amazing advertisements, videos, infographics, animations, and TikToks across all spectrums of traditional media and social media.

“All of which are presented with various out-of-the-box ideas, sharp but polite critics, with an amazing level of creativity,” he said.

Unlike in Malaysia where physical gathering still dominates a campaign trail, Mohamad noted that social media campaigns had emerged as the primary method used in Indonesia to reach more than 200 million voters across 38 provinces.

He said the use of social media in Indonesia resulted in a dynamic election campaign, capable of instantly responding to current trends and issues.

“It is also solidly backed with data and credible answers.

“Their campaign is supported by teams of researchers who are highly skilled to respond to viral current issues,” he said.

Youth engagements

Further, Mohamad also noted the emergence of influencers from among Gen Z born between 1997 and 2012, preceded by millennials born between 1981 and 1996 - all with higher relevance to their age groups compared to politicians.

“Many of them worked full-time with a particular candidate and were tasked to influence a certain segment of voters.

“All of this paints a picture of the large impact of Gen Z and millennials,” he said.

Coming back to Malaysia, Mohamad highlighted several issues which he believed resonated with younger voters, starting with a guarantee of a better future with a decent wage and employment opportunities that matched their skills.

He also noted a need for Umno to enhance youth engagements, taking inspiration from Indonesia’s move to adopt Gen Z as a key driver for election campaigns.

The 2024 Umno General Assembly continues tomorrow with keynote speeches by Wanita, Youth and Puteri chiefs.

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