Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal today called on Umno members to focus on strengthening unity in the party and on recruiting quality new members to ensure Umno remains the backbone of the ruling coalition.

He said this was necessary in also facing the 14th general election (GE14).

"The Umno supreme council had decided to delegate the power to process the party membership applications to all the states' Umno liaison committees to facilitate the party membership drive.

"In fact, the key performance indicators (KPI) given to the three party wings, namely Wanita, Youth and Puteri in all 191 Umno divisions have set the target of four million new party members by GE14," he said after opening the Marang Umno division delegates' meeting, here, Saturday.

Also present were Terengganu deputy liaison chief Datuk Jailani Johari and Marang Umno deputy chief A. Latiff Awang.

Shafie, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, said no one could deny that Umno had fought for the interests of the Malays and for Islam, and strived for the nation's success for over 50 years now.

"The hard work is not done by PAS, PKR or DAP, so there is no reason for Umno to be rejected.

"On the other hand, the 'biggest contribution' of opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is dividing the Malays," he said, while calling on Umno members to continue supporting the national leadership led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Referring to former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's criticism against Najib's leadership, he said like all normal human beings, the latter could not be free at all of mistakes.

Shafie later opened the Dungun Umno delegates' meeting after which he said Umno members must place the party's interest above personal or group interest, especially in facing the GE14.