UMNO has conceded that its official membership of over 3.52 million no longer accurately reflects the party’s electoral strength, with figures not necessarily translating into votes at the ballot box.
Speaking during the Secretary-General’s Report at the UMNO General Assembly at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur today, Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki described the situation as a reality the party must confront courageously.
“Using the Sabah State Election as an example, it served as the biggest wake-up call for UMNO. The party entered the contest believing it had the support of more than 622,637 members in Sabah, yet only 144,584 votes were actually received,” he said.
He added, “The lesson is clear: members are not necessarily voters, and voters are not necessarily loyal to us.”
Dr Asyraf highlighted that Sabah’s political history has seen three significant waves of exodus: in 2016 with the formation of Parti Warisan, in 2018 when some leaders joined Bersatu, and in 2023 when others migrated to GRS.
“Each wave has eroded UMNO’s strength, cutting away at the very lifeblood of UMNO Sabah’s struggle,” he said.
The Secretary-General stressed that declining support is not confined to Sabah. Trends in the last three general elections—PRU13, PRU14, and PRU15—also revealed similar patterns, demonstrating a recurring gap between membership numbers and actual votes.
Looking ahead to upcoming state elections in Melaka, Johor, and ultimately PRU16, he posed a critical question: “Does an increase of 46,655 members this year, bringing our total to 3.525 million, guarantee electoral victory?”
He cautioned, “Statistics across many states show a significant gap between the number of members and the votes received.
“This is the reality of political migration that we must face bravely, not only in Sabah but nationwide. Loyalty today cannot be assumed automatically. When greed overtakes principle, and personal interest outweighs the mandate of struggle, we will lose Allah’s support, no matter how large our membership appears on paper.”
Also present at the assembly were UMNO President Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Deputy President Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Vice Presidents Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin and Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, alongside leaders from coalition parties including MCA President Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong, MIC Deputy President Datuk Seri M Saravanan, and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah President Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup.
Dr Asyraf’s remarks underscore UMNO’s recognition that party loyalty and electoral success are not guaranteed by membership alone, emphasizing the need for renewed engagement and accountability with voters. - January 16, 2026
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