UMNO chief calls for rebranding, unity ahead of Malaysia’s next General Election

0 January 16, 2026 01:41

Malaysia’s deputy Prime Minister and UMNO President Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has called for a rebranding of UMNO and its coalition Barisan Nasional. Speaking at the party’s annual general assembly in Kuala Lumpur on Friday (Jan 16), he emphasised unity ahead of the next general election, which must be held by February 2028.

Zahid proposed setting up a committee to unite the party ranks and welcome back former UMNO leaders who left, were suspended, or fired. He also reiterated calls for former Prime Minister Najib Razak’s release and pleaded for royal clemency. The UMNO youth wing expressed unease about cooperating with the unity government, but Zahid urged the party to stay united and support Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government for stability until the next election.