KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - Malaysia’s ruling party delegates gathered Tuesday for a historic congress to choose a virtually new set of leaders, one year after the old guard presided over its most humiliating election drubbing ever.

Hundreds of party members streamed into a conference center next to the headquarters of the United Malays National Organization party to register for a five-day general assembly scheduled to start later Tuesday.

This congress "is very, very important. It ... will set the future direction of UMNO," said Mohamad Mustafa Ishak, a political analyst at North Malaysia University. "This will serve as an indicator whether UMNO is changing or not."

UMNO, as the dominant party in the ruling National Front coalition, has been in power since independence in 1957. But never has it appeared more vulnerable as now - riven with infighting, corruption and favoritism, it is rapidly losing voter support and is left to govern a country facing an almost certain recession.

"This is the most critical time in the history of UMNO," said Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is set to be promoted to the prime minister’s post during the congress.