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Umno Youth race keeps getting hotter
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Tue, Oct 28, 2008
myp
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>Malaysia - THE Deputy Prime Minister's division nominated one candidate. The Prime Minister's division nominated
his rival. And close behind is a third, stealth, candidate that has, implausibly, almost caught up.
In intrigue, surprises and grudge-match potential, the contest to lead the Youth wing of Malaysia's Umno party is the marquee contest in internal elections next March.
On Sunday, Mr Khairy Jamaluddin - the son-in-law of retiring party president and Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi
- received a severe setback. The Umno Youth division of Pekan nominated Mr Mukhriz Mahathir, son of ex-premier Mahathir Mohamad, for Umno Youth chief - a post that has been a springboard to higher positions
of leadership. Pekan is the stronghold of Deputy Premier and party No. 2 Najib Razak.
The nomination will be seen, fairly or otherwise, as an endorsement by Mr Najib of Mr Mukhriz's candidacy. This is even though Mr Najib - who will succeed Mr Abdullah as Umno head and prime minister after the party polls - has denied endorsing anyone.
The Khairy and Mukhriz match has come to be seen as a grudge match between their elders, who are feuding furiously even as the Abdullah era reaches its end.
Yesterday, the Umno Youth division in Kepala Batas - Datuk Seri Abdullah's stronghold - anointed Mr Khairy as its
nominee. So, is he now up against the forces aligned to Mr Najib as well?
But wait, there's a dark horse in the race - former Selangor Menteri Besar Mohd Khir Toyo. He has crept up on the Big Two while they have been soaking up most of the attention.
Dr Khir now has 43 nominations, while Mr Khairy has 47.
Mr Mukhriz has a healthy lead - though it is one that has shrunk - with 66 nominations, but no one is taking things for granted.
To qualify for the polls, each candidate had to receive 39 endorsements from the 191 divisions.
It had seemed at one point that Mr Khairy would have trouble getting there. Now he has charged past the
mark - only to see Dr Khir make his late spurt of speed.
Third place would be too humiliating for Mr Khairy, the incumbent Youth deputy chief who - until his ather-in-law's political fortunes cratered - was set to walk into the leader's seat.
Since the ruling coalition's abysmal performance in general elections earlier this year, however, things have been getting grimmer and grimmer. On the other hand, some observers think a three-way race will actually benefit him, splitting the anti-Abdullah votes.
Here's where the Pekan nomination may prove crucial: Mr Mukhriz's boosters may try to wave it as a unifying flag.
This article was first published in my paper on Oct 28, 2008.
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