IT will be “mandatory” for Umno to field more young and new faces in the next general election, party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said

In an interview with MyTV Online, Zahid said new blood who can breathe life and carve a new image for the party should be brought to the fore

“That is definitely mandatory. Changes need to be made.

“A new hope must also be given to the young and first-time voters,” he said, adding that Umno’s candidate selection policy cannot remain “static”.

The Bagan Datuk MP said that young people who could be fielded as candidates in the 15^th general election need not necessarily be from the Puteri and Pemuda wings.

He said Umno should not forget that there are young leaders in many civil society groups, student leaders and professionals who are interested in politics but who are not very prominent.

Zahid said the demography of voters has changed since the last general election with it now tilting towards young voters, alluding to the Undi18 voters.

The need to field young candidates, Zahid said, is especially so since voters as young as 18 years old will be allowed to vote.

He also said consideration should be given to the fact that some 4.5 million people who are between 21and 40 years of age have not registered as voters.

“We definitely need to look at this new development and the aspirations of young voters that come with it.”

To accommodate more young candidates, Zahid said Umno would do away with the decision of giving certain candidates two seats – Parliament and state.

“The number of parliament and state seats are limited. It’s better if we distribute them.

“No matter how popular the person might be that he wants to contest two seats, (it’s better to) give someone a chance.

“It’s better to give them to the young leaders, the new faces.” – September 30, 2021.