UMNO Election 09 - Survival & Revival ?

The preliminary nominations for eligibility to contest UMNO leaderships are moving smoothly with cursory indications of the divisions preferences. But as usual the popularity does not guarantee when it comes to the real election in March 2009. Anything can happen between now and then. Some of the candidates will definitely do all the possible ways and means to win the delegations votes legally or illegally. Lets stop being naive and accepted that there will be culprits among the contenders who will do anything to win and also delegates who are more then willing to sell their votes and dignity for money and favor. It does no only happen in UMNO only but almost all political parties in Malaysia or even abroad.

Despite having my preferences but I always believed that healthy competition is good for democracy to thrive and people to choose. So let Mukhriz Mahathir, Khairy Jamaluddin and Khir Toyo slog it out in March 2009. Let see when it comes to reality will he UMNO Youth use their common sense and pick the best candidate to lead them out of despair and back to glory. Are they going to choose fresh face who is vocal on the requirements for change or a person who has been blamed for contributing to the downfall of Pak Lah or former Menteri Besar who has lost his State? The differences between the candidates are very clear and their track record speaks for itself.

The Presidency of UMNO looks all set for Datuk Sri Sri Najib Tun Razak . Well when you spent all your life in Politics and serving the country, the premiership should come natural. I have no problem with him because he had the experience, intelligence and charisma to be good and effective leader. Looking at the other contenders or even the opposition leaders, although not perfect, but definitely he is better off then the others.

For the Deputy President post, Tan Sri Muhyiddin seemed to leads the way comfortably but then it’s too early to write out the others. My support for Muhyiddin is not because he came from Johor my home state but because he is the most credible and intelligent among the three contenders. He is willing to speak out his mind and not just tow the line when it’s much needed in UMNO. For a person who usually did not talk too much he became at times the sole voice of dissents against the mediocre leadership. With due respect Tan Sri Muhammad Taib is a spent force and ineffective while Datuk Sri Mohd Ali Rustam is too much a yes man without much to shout about.

There seemed to be intense competition for Putri UMNO leadership and it is very healthy. The Putri need leader who is intelligent and effective to win the hearts of younger generations for those who win the heart of the young will rule this nation. I did not know the contenders well to put my preferences but wish the Putri all the best in choosing their leaders.

Wanita UMNO is in a dilemma to choose between old leader and young leader who lost an election. Something has to be done to this group to make sure it continues to be relevant and effective. Unfortunately I do not believe in choosing losers to be leaders.

To all UMNO members it is the time for you to make the difference and contribute to the survival and revival of the UMNO legacy. Put the interests of AGAMA, BANGSA DAN NEGARA beyond yourself in choosing the new leaders, as I said earlier choose the PATRIOTS among you to leads the crusades for the revival of UMNO and survival of this great Nation. Do not betray yourself, the Malay Race and PERJUANGAN dengan pulangan yang amat sedikit yang telah pengkhianat janjikan. Do the RIGHT thing and be proud of it, because you are the savior of the sinking ship.

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THESTAR

KUALA LUMPUR: The battle is on. Khairy Jamaluddin can now take on Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir for the Umno Youth Chief post.

After a three-week wait to qualify, Khairy who is Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s son-in-law, went past the 39 nominations’ eligibility mark and secured a total of 44 nominations.

On Saturday itself, he received a total of seven nominations. They came from Tawau, Tangga Batu, Gua Musang, Sembrong, Papar, Sabak Bernam and Kuala Kangsar. The nomination from Sembrong is particularly significant because the present Youth chief Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein is the MP and division chief. Khairy is Hishammuddin’s deputy in Umno Youth and there was speculation about whom the Sembrong division would back.

Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah’s Gua Musang division also sprang a surprise when it threw out the nomination from the Youth meeting on Thursday and reconvened a new meeting on Saturday and picked Khairy as its choice.

Earlier, the division had nominated Datuk Seri Dr Khir Toyo. Khairy said he was pleased to have qualified “given the level of scrutiny” he had to go through from the time he entered the political arena in 1999. “I shall subject myself now to an even more intense screening not just by delegates to the Youth Umno general assembly but all Malaysians who have encountered a range of stories, good and bad, about me. “I accept that the onus is on me to explain my convictions and reasons for offering myself as a prospective leader,” said the Rembau MP.
Meanwhile, Mukhriz, the son of former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, is still in the lead with 66 nominations, well over the crucial 39 needed. On Saturday, he picked up nominations from Sri Gading and Tambun.

The third contender, Dr Khir, is not too far behind. He has 36 nominations to date. The 191 divisions have until Nov 9 to hold their meetings and offer their nominations ahead of party polls in March. The other contest that seems to be shaping up into a possible interesting fight is the race for the Wanita Chief post. Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil continued to receive a string of nominations for the movement’s top post. Her tally now stands at 52, having received nominations on Saturday from Kubang Pasu, Parit, Hulu Terengganu, Pendang, Bagan, Jelutong, Lumut, Teluk Intan, Tangga Batu, Kota Marudu and Papar. She needs only 39 to be eligible to challenge Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz for the post. Rafidah who had qualified for the Wanita top post two weeks ago continued to receive nominations on Saturday including from Pekan, Sabak Bernam, Jerai, Tenggara, Seputeh and Segamat. Interestingly, Rafidah’s own Kuala Kangsar division gave its nomination to her as expected but did not pick Shahrizat for the deputy Wanita post. It chose Datuk Kamilia Ibrahim as the movement’s number two post.

Rafidah and her deputy Shahrizat had an understanding that they would not challenge each other for the Wanita Chief post and she (Rafidah) would step down in June next year and hand over the reins of power to the number two. Shahrizat had said she would not challenge her boss (Rafidah) even if she received enough nominations, but a number of Wanita divisions have chosen to ignore this transition plan by nominating Shahrizat to the top post. Since qualifying for the post, Shahrizat has been avoiding the media.

For the Puteri wing, Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin and Datuk Shahaniza Shamsudin are neck-and-neck in the nominations. Both have qualified to contest the post and are still picking up nominations. Both have 55 each.

The other interested candidates Datin Ismalina Ismail (28), Bibi Sharliza Mohd Khalid (16) and Azlina Mehtab (9) and Nurdiana Shafie (1) have yet to qualify.

Pak Lah Make Way

At last Pak Lah made the right decision to step down as UMNO President by March 2009. As the Captain of UMNO and BN, he is fully responsible for the states the party and coalition are currently facing and sinking. It is a responsible and courageous decision that must be respected and appreciated.

Of course there were handful of supporters that have been screaming at Pak Lah residence and PWTC requesting him to stay on but then this must be the same people that have been giving him misguiding advice and support that leads to his downfall. The Pakatan Rakyat leaders were of course very disappointed; they too have been encouraging Pak Lah to stay on because their chance of destroying UMNO and BN will be definite if Pak Lah stays on. They have been manipulating on Pak Lah weaknesses to pressures the Federal Government and enticing pale hearts politicians to practice political frogging. Recently it was worthy to note that PAS and DAP leaderships have openly declared that they are not in favor of running over the ruling government through political frogging. An act that must be despised on whatever reasons. You can say about all sorts of bad practice and deeds of the BN Government but the fact remains that Malaysia is better off then many country in this world and any country surrounding us. If the BN is so manipulative in the elections the PR will not be able to win any states in Malaysia.

The fact is, Pakatan Rakyat is not that strong but UMNO and BN is becoming weaker due to unpopular leaderships and poor response to the current expectations of the Rakyat. The changing of Premiership in UMNO will provide the platform for UMNO to reengineer itself and cleanup their leaderships rolls from corrupts and incapable leaders. To survive UMNO has no choice but make way for the true Patriots among them to take on the PR. Those who were responsible for the downfall of UMNO and BN should not be considered for any key positions in the organizations. This includes former MBs and Wakil Rakyat that have lost in the last elections. It includes even Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah that too old and could not do much even in Kelantan. For the corrupts and losers do the right thing make way for the Patriot among your comrades, who put AGAMA, BANGSA DAN NEGARA above themselves. Let loose the UMNO Patriots to face the PR and the chance is that they will not only win but recover the losing ground.