KUALA LUMPUR: Being a member of the Cabinet does not guarantee one of an easy ride in the Umno elections, just ask Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.
Political analyst Assoc Prof Dr Sivamurugan Pandian said holding a minister’s post and being the incumbent for the Umno Youth chief’s post is a bonus for Khairy.
Asked whether it is enough for Umno Youth delegates to give Khairy another term in office, he avoided answering the question and said the candidates should not limit their thinking on specific agenda.
“Every candidate must show their strength if they are to be seen as qualified. Umno Youth must play two different roles, defending the position of the Malays and acting as the bulwark of the Barisan Nasional (BN) government,” he told Bernama yesterday.
Another analyst, Assoc Prof Datuk Zainal Abidin Borhan said the Umno agenda to uphold the aspirations of the Malays as stipulated in Clause 3 of the Umno constitution should be empowered, no matter who are elected by the delegates.
“This foundation of the Umno struggle is slowly being forgotten and this has frustrated most Malays. Just look at issues affecting Malay interests, who are to first to champion them?
“In my observation, most of the issues are driven by non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Where have all the Umno leaders, especially Umno Youth gone to?
He said although the Umno elections are now more open, the candidates have the responsibility to uphold the Umno agenda as enshrined in the party constitution to fit the needs of society.
Four candidates had submitted nomination papers to challenge Khairy for the Umno Youth chief’s post on Oct 12.
They are Bendang Baru (Langkawi) Umno Youth branch chief, Akhramsyah Muammar Ubaidah Sanusi, Pusat Bandar Taman Chempaka (Pandan) Umno Youth branch assistant secretary, Syed Rosli Syed Harman Jamallulail, former Merbok division Youth chief, Abd Karim Ali and Bukit Setiawangsa Umno Youth branch chief, Irwan Ambak Khalid Izhar.
Khairy, who described the five-cornered contest as in line with efforts to transform Umno said:”May we all be able to contest accordingly and in harmony.”
Lecturer of Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Assoc Prof Datuk Dr Samsul Adabi Mamat sees the tussle for the Umno Youth chief’s post as good development.
“Its true that Khairy found it difficult to win the Umno Youth chief’s post in the last party elections but he was less popular then.
“This time around, his popularity has risen because of his many contributions to Umno,” he added. — Bernama