UMNO members are urged to have confidence in the system of continuation of the party leadership which until now had given benefits to the people in terms of their welfare and national development.

Selangor UMNO Liaison chairman Tan Sri Noh Omar said that in this regard, UMNO members must be confident of and loyal to the party leader as was the practice and tradition beginning with the first president right up to the present leadership under Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

"It is normal politics that leaders come and go but the struggles of the party to champion the cause of the race, religion and nation must continue so that the peace enjoyed currently can be passed on to the next generation.

"Whatever allegations can come...our (the party''s) principle is that whoever is the leader today, we must give our loyalty to the party president," he said at the handing over of the ''Sang Saka Bangsa'' in conjunction with the 71st UMNO Anniversary Flag Run.

At the ceremony, Negeri Sembilan UMNO Liaison chairman, Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan handed over the flag to Noh at the Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Khir Johari, Beranang, near here witnessed by leaders and division heads from both states.

The Flag Run in Negeri Sembilan which began in Rembau last Saturday involved a total of 111 kilometres and ended today before the UMNO flag was handed over to Selangor to begin the run throughout the state.

After the completion of the run in Selangor, the flag would be handed over to the Federal Territory UMNO on May 10 (Wednesday).

Meanwhile, Mohamad said during the three-day run the UMNO flag was carried throughout the state and had received encouraging response from the young generation.

"Today, it is Selangor''s turn and I hope the spirit and aura that is carried here can be spread to this state. Insya-Allah I am confident that under Tan Sri''s (Noh Omar) leadership the party will be stronger to wrest back Selangor in the next general election,"he added. - BERNAMA