By : David Yeow and Melissa Darlyne Chow

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz (left) and Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil (right) observed a day of silence yesterday after Umno president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi ticked them off on Wanita Umno's unresolved change of leadership.

Both refrained from making any comments, but their supporters have been voicing their stand.

In fact, the voices of dissent against Rafidah's June leadership change are getting louder.

Under the plan, Rafidah is to hand over the leadership to Shahrizat in June next year, three months after the March party elections.

Informed sources said Shahrizat was expected to announce her intention to contest the Wanita chief's post this week after executive committee member, Datuk Kamilia Ibrahim, stood her ground to contest the deputy's post.

"It would not be wrong to go on that line (Shahrizat contesting against Rafidah) because all fingers point to that direction.

"Shahrizat had made known her intention to contest the Wanita chief's post to both Abdullah and Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Najib Razak," an informed source said.

Shahrizat received 73 nominations for the Wanita chief post and 113 for the deputy chief post. Rafidah received 117 nominations for the chief post, while Kamilia obtained the nominations of 55 divisions for the deputy head's post.

In Penang, 10 out of 13 Wanita Umno divisions have called for Rafidah to go by March.

The 10 divisions are Kepala Batas, Bukit Mertajam, Permatang Pauh, Batu Kawan, Bagan and Nibong Tebal on the mainland, as well as Jelutong, Bukit Gelugor, Tanjong and Bukit Bendera on the island.

The division chiefs questioned the rationale behind Rafidah's transition plan.

Tanjong Wanita Umno chief Norjan Abdul Hamid, speaking on behalf of the 10 divisions, said yesterday that the initial plan was six months from December this year to June next year.

"Now, the duration has been shortened (as Umno elections have been pushed to March). In this short period of time, what can Rafidah do to strengthen the party?"

Norjan also pointed out that Rafidah had already been in power for decades, referring to her statement before that she was one of the few left from second prime minister Tun Abdul Razak's administration.

These divisions' views are in stark contrast to the statement issued by Penang Wanita Umno chief Datuk Jahara Hamid , who on Monday said the state Wanita Umno fully supported the leadership change to take place in June.

"If Rafidah loves the party more than herself, she should give way in a respectable manner," Norjan said, adding that this would unite Wanita Umno.

However, Pahang Wanita Umno chief Datuk Maznah Mazlan believes that if the March plan is implemented, it would be unfair to other leaders.

"It wasn't just Sharizat and Rafidah who agreed to it. The other leaders also agreed to it. We are all bound by it.

"Many people who wanted to contest also held back out of respect for the two leaders. But, now that nominations are coming to a close, supporters are saying they want Shahrizat to lead them in March," said Maznah.

A Wanita Umno executive council member, who declined to be named, said that either the June plan stays or the wing elections become a free-for-all.

"She (Shahrizat) needs to remember that Rafidah is still the leader. You either wait for three months and get what's agreed to you or you don't.

"There's no such thing as moving the deadline forward. You change one detail of the plan and the whole thing becomes null and void.

"Then, others must be allowed to run for the top posts as well," she said.