Kuala lumpur: The Rumah Bangsa initiative is aimed at making it easier for young people to join UMNO, without having to navigate complicated procedures that could discourage their participation, said UMNO vice-president Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Mohamed Khaled, who chairs the Rumah Bangsa Unification Committee, emphasized that the initiative should not be viewed solely as a platform for former members to return to the party. "We must understand that Rumah Bangsa is not limited to bringing back former UMNO members. It is also a platform designed to make it easier for young people to join UMNO, without having to go through processes that may deter them," he told reporters after attending the first convention of the Supreme Council of the Gabungan Persatuan-persatuan Veteran Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (ATM) today.

Mohamed Khaled, who is also the Defence Minister, added that UMNO plans to broaden Rumah Bangsa's role beyond membership recruitment, transforming it into a platform where Malaysians can share ideas, views, and proposals for national development and nation-building.

Last Friday, Rumah Bangsa Unification Committee member Ahmad Maslan reported that more than 10,000 applications had been received, with about 60 percent, or 6,009 applicants, being individuals under the age of 40. He added that the applications included those seeking to join UMNO's Wanita and Puteri wings.

Introduced by UMNO president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Rumah Bangsa is part of the party's broader reunification effort aimed at strengthening Malay unity while welcoming former members back into its fold. On April 18, several prominent leaders, including former UMNO vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein and former Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin, were among 6,252 former leaders and members at division and branch levels nationwide who were readmitted to the party through the initiative.