KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 16 — Voters are no longer automatically loyal to a party simply because it represents Malays or Islam, Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said today, acknowledging a political reality Umno must confront if it wants to remain relevant.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Umno General Assembly, the law and institutional reform minister said the party could no longer assume ethnic or religious identity alone was enough to secure support, particularly among a new segment of voters focused on bread-and-butter issues.

“Today’s voters are different. They are not going to be so loyal just because they are Malay, then they are Muslim,” Azalina said, noting that while identity still mattered, many voters were now more concerned about economic mobility and the challenges affecting their daily lives.

She said this shift was reflected in Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s policy speech, which recognised that Malaysian politics had changed fundamentally since Barisan Nasional’s defeat in the 14th general election.

Azalina said Umno now needed to rethink its modus operandi and open itself up to broader engagement, including ideas and participation from outside the party, if it wanted to rebuild its strength.

She pointed to Zahid’s proposal to form a committee to study unity and cooperation, including the possibility of accepting former members, individuals and groups aligned with Umno’s broader objectives.

“The idea is for Umno to be seen not just as an umbrella, but as a home,” she said, adding that the party should be prepared to “open its doors and windows” to those who genuinely wanted to strengthen Malay interests beyond political rhetoric.

Azalina said Umno’s leadership was aware that it could no longer rely on historical narratives alone, stressing that politics today was about current realities and future expectations rather than past achievements.

“We cannot keep talking about history. What matters now is how politics is being shaped today and where it is going,” she said.

She added that any changes would have to respect Umno’s democratic processes, with views from grassroots members taken into account before major decisions were made.

“That is why a committee is needed — to listen to voices from below and to manage this process properly,” Azalina said, adding that Umno remained a large party governed by its constitution, not a top-down organisation.

Azalina also said Umno had to accept that political realities differed from state to state, making a one-size-fits-all approach untenable.

“What works in Johor or Pahang may not work in Selangor or Negeri Sembilan. The party has to recognise that we are starting from very different positions now,” she said.

Ultimately, she said, Umno’s survival depended on its willingness to adapt — not just in terms of alliances and membership, but also in how it communicated and engaged with voters in an increasingly complex political landscape.

Earlier in his speech, Zahid urged disgruntled members and those not fully committed to the cause to forget the past and move forward, noting the “weird” and awkward political landscape in Malaysia where rival parties cooperate in some states while contesting against each other elsewhere.

He called for a comprehensive rebranding of the party and Barisan Nasional (BN), warning that nostalgia is no longer enough to win elections.

In his policy speech at the Umno General Assembly, Zahid said Umno must present a “new value proposition” to voters, particularly younger Malaysians, ahead of the 16th general election.