KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 12 — As polling kicked off today for Umno’s Wanita, Youth and Puteri wings, the common refrain heard from excited delegates gathered along the hallways of the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) was the call for a performance-driven leadership that is not averse to change.

A straw poll by The Malay Mail Online conducted among delegates from the Barisan Nasional (BN) lynchpin here showed a resounding desire for leaders who are not afraid of getting their hands dirty - a trend that is expected to set the tone for the future of the country’s leadership.

Ari Basir, the Wanita Umno chief for the Dataran Merdeka branch, said it was her hope that those elected into power do not take their positions for granted but make full use of the opportunity to serve unconditionally.

“My hope is that whoever is elected really serves and give cooperation...not when they get the posts, they don’t do their duties,” she told The Malay Mail Online when met at PWTC.

She voiced approval for the party’s new, direct polling system, saying it has allowed the younger party members to offer themselves up as candidates.

“I think this year the method is good, open to young people’s hope to contest.

“Sometimes the ones on top don’t want to let go of their positions but with this method, they include all the candidates,” she said.

Nurezzeaty Ridzuan, 19, a first-time voter from the Umno Hang Lekiu branch’s Puteri wing, also echoed the same sentiment, and said she hoped for the new leadership to bring about changes in the party.

She added that post-elections, her wish was for party members to “be united and be able to work together under one roof”.

Voting for the three wings took place nationwide this morning, with more delegates casting their ballots under the new system introduced following changes to the party’s constitution to allow more direct representation.

Mohd Fairus, 34, another first time voter, said he hoped that the delegates’ choice would be “accurate and can work for the (party’s) future”.

The Umno Youth Bukit Bintang division member also hopes that the voices from the party grassroots would reach the central leadership.

Nurul Natasha Nabilah Ainah, 46, from the Wanita Umno Bukit Bintang division, said she wants the elected leaders to help boost the fortunes of the underprivileged.

“We want to choose candidates that will help the people...single mothers, disabled, aged.

“We want them to make changes, all the leaders that we elected can do activities such as helping the poor, sewing or handicraft classes,” she told The Malay Mail Online, saying that delegates did not want elected candidates to continue rising in their ranks while the former continues to be oppressed.

“We want them to help us, we don’t want money, that’s considered bribery, we help each other, they get positions, we get kesenangan (better life),” the single mother said.

Andy Fairuz, the Umno youth chief for the Sultan Ismail branch, said delegates should ensure that only the best leaders are elected into power.

“As what we hope for previous years, they will elect the best candidate this time around,” he said.

“It is a new breed of candidates,” he added.

“Basically it’s to revive back Umno. The trend-setting now is towards younger generation,” he said, later adding that the party was also placing more emphasis on the grassroots level and those who are needy.

Delegates preparing the ballot paper for the Ketua Umno Bahagian polls at the PWTC in Kuala Lumpur, October 12, 2013.

“Generation now is changing, seniors are leaving, Pemuda (Youth) and Puteri are coming up and taking up places and playing a more important role,” he said.

“We also hope with the new leadership they can work better with MCA Youth and MIC Youth, all other wings,” he said, saying that Umno views itself as part of the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.

The youth leader said that Umno has always been a liberal and open party “where all voices are heard.”

Voting for the three wings took place nationwide this morning, with more delegates casting their ballots under the new system introduced following changes to the party’s constitution to allow more direct representation.

The polls results for the party’s three wings is expected to be available by 8pm today.