KUALA LUMPUR, The resurgence of women in UMNO will not only strengthen the party but also empower Malaysian politics, bringing fresh perspectives to key issues like education. UMNO Wanita exco member Datuk Nurulhidayah Ahmad Zahid said this revival is not about meeting quotas or external demands. "This is not just a superficial change, but a renewal of the mind, spirit and vision for UMNO Wanita," she said. "We must do more than encourage women's participation. We need to actively create leadership opportunities for talented women at all levels of the party. 'This includes investing in leadership development programmes specifically for women and most importantly, fostering a party culture that is more inclusive and values the contributions of women," she said during the debate at the 2024 UMNO General Assembly here today. Nurulhidayah emphasised that the Women's wing must leverage the party's top talent to face future challenges and ensure the voices of women, who make up nearly half of UMNO's voters, a re heard and respected. Meanwhile, UMNO Puteri exco member Siti Nor Hasyyati Abd Rahman proposed raising the age limit for membership from 35 to 40 years, adding that that this change would help maintain continuity in the wing's policies. "Some 80 per cent of us will have to leave Puteri even after serving just one term. By the next election, 153 division leaders will have exceeded the 35-year age limit," she said. She suggested implementing a quota system in the next election, allowing current leaders over 35 to run again as long as they are under 40, while first-time candidates would still need to be under 35. The 2024 UMNO General Assembly, held at the Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre with 6,433 delegates from across the country, concludes today. Source: BERNAMA News Agency