It was heartening to hear Najib turn his back on the shrill, ethnocentric rhetoric that has been emanating from his fellow party-members since March 2008.

UMNO today holds what is called a special general assembly to amend it’s constitution, an exercise proclaimed as making good promises made by Datuk Seri Najib Razak to "reform UMNO."

The Umno special general assembly today changed the rules of election for party posts by making it more open and abolishing the nomination quota system to stamp out money politics.

Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today he was convinced Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was truly aware of the need for the party to institute change to regain the support of the people.

Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim has expressed his confident that the people would feel the changes undertaken by the party by amending its constitution.

The prime minister's wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, said she was touched by the support shown by Umno members for her husband at the party's general assembly this year.

In yesterday's UMNO Youth general assembly, Khairy Jamaluddin did not hold up the keris, but instead honoured what he once said.

Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak stressed today that Umno should not be seen by its members as a party that was passionate only about championing a small group and as a money-making party.

Following are some of the words of wisdom from Prime Minister and Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in his policy speech delivered at the opening of the Umno General Assembly 2009 at Dewan Merdeka, Putra World Trade Centre, here, today.

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 15 (AFP) - Malaysian premier Najib Razak said Thursday that his ruling party, which represents majority Muslims, must revamp itself to appeal to all races in the multicultural nation.