KUALA LUMPUR, June 26 — Umno will need more than a leadership change and require the dumping of its money politics, image of sexism, racism and thuggish behaviour, its presidential hopeful Khairy Jamaluddin said today.

Khairy said Barisan Nasional (BN) and its mainstay party Umno and the BN leadership had suffered a "total rejection” by voters in the 14th general elections, adding that a change of leadership alone was insufficient.

The rejection was not a mere "perception” but a "reality”, Khairy said in an interview broadcast "live” by television channel Astro Awani ahead of the upcoming Umno polls.

Khairy claimed that some voters, especially among the Malay community, still support Umno but desire changes.

"Change in leadership has been carried out, but they also want to see changes in the party Umno itself.

"They want to see Umno being able to change from the image of being elitist, image of money politics, samseng (thugs) image, racist image, sexist image to a party that truly listens to the people’s voice and is not deaf to the public’s voice.

"So if we just say we change the leadership and don’t need to do anything else, we are mistaken,” he said when pushing for a complete overhaul of the culture within Umno.

Khairy also listed reforms that he wants to carry out within Umno if voted as party president, including inviting the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to monitor future party elections.

He said his idea for the MACC to be Umno election monitors was previously rejected, but said it would provide the necessary enforcement to put an end to money politics in the party polls and eventually pave the way for the end of patronage in government.

"When we start with the party, we will see our members are no longer motivated by money. And the leaders, when Umno or BN wins again, will not be chasing after projects for them to pass to their supporters.

"So the politics of patronage will be no more, because the power or position they get in the party does not depend on the money spent, but on ideas or services,” he said.

Khairy also pointed out his election pledge of ensuring the mandatory party polls every three years instead of allowing them to be deferred, as this would prevent party leaders from being disconnected from the grassroots and public.

He also promised that the party president will no longer be lifted up as a "political god”, and that there will be no more party motions to allow the non-contest of certain key positions such as the president and deputy president.

"That’s the problem of feudalism, where we take care of those at the top. Now we give the power and rights to the members. Don’t centralise the powers at the top,” he said.

Khairy also said he plans to set up a council within Umno to be composed of professionals and experts in matters such as religion, as they would otherwise be hampered from rising up the party ranks quickly within its current structure.

"So I will create a shortcut so that we will have experts who can help Umno. I want to open the doors of Umno as wide as possible to those who want to help with specific expertise so they can straightaway become part of the leadership. Then we can put them forward in the next general elections,” he said, also adding that he plans to form a shadow Cabinet in Parliament if voted as party president.

Umno will decide on its next president in party polls this Saturday.