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With Zahid as Umno president, Dr M gets the last laugh

Mr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is Umno’s new chief following a highly-anticipated internal polls for the party that is seeking to rebuild itself after a crushing electoral defeat. So what does this tell you about Umno?

If Mr Zahid is serious about reforms, he should propose that Mr Khairy be BN’s Opposition Leader when Parliament convenes later this month, says the author.

If Mr Zahid is serious about reforms, he should propose that Mr Khairy be BN’s Opposition Leader when Parliament convenes later this month, says the author.

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Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t.

It is an adage that many political parties live by, and one which is especially true for Malaysia’s United Malays National Organisation (Umno), judging by the results of its party election.

Mr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is the party’s new chief after a highly-anticipated internal polls for the party that is seeking to rebuild itself after a crushing electoral defeat.

It was announced on Saturday (June 30) that the former deputy prime minister trounced his two key rivals ― youth chief and former youth and sports minister Khairy Jamaluddin, 42, and 81-year-old veteran leader Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah ― for the coveted number one post in Umno.

So what does this tell you about Umno?

It is at its lowest ebb since the party’s formation more than half a century ago.

Umno lost for the first time in the May 9 general election (commonly referred to as GE14) at the hands of the man that once helped it win many elections in the past — Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Its former president and chief, Datuk Seri Najib Razak will not be remembered in the history books for any of his contributions as prime minister, but will instead be dogged by the ghost of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), allegations of corruption and the loss of millions of ringgit under his watch.

The baggage he carried affected the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition as a whole, to the point where the 13-member coalition now only has three parties left — Umno, Malaysian Chinese Association and Malaysian Indian Congress, and even then there are whispers that MCA and MIC leaders are rethinking their alliances.

With this on its shoulders, Umno delegates were presented with a choice, and they voted Mr Zahid — and in doing so, sent out a clear signal that they have decided to stick with the status quo, at least for the time being.

Umno has chosen Mr Zahid, the person who struggled during Friday night’s live presidential debate to deliver concrete, convincing policies for a party that is in desperate need for a new direction.

Mr Zahid’s promise of a “new deal”, a rebranding of BN and strengthening of Umno’s fight for Islam and Malay rights rings hollow and is not even a repackaged version of the same product.

It is what Umno warlords have been selling for decades.

And unless you’ve been living under a rock, it is clear that while the issue of Malay rights is crucial, it was not enough for millions of Malaysians who voted against Umno and BN in GE14.

Mr Khairy, on the other hand had pushed for an end to the “invincibility” of the Umno president, and a promise to work towards making the party a credible opposition for the current Pakatan Harapan government.

He apologised for the mistakes of the Najib administration, and said Umno should refrain from doing any backdoor deals to become government again.

But what was perhaps Mr Khairy’s most progressive idea was a proposal to open up the party’s membership to non-Muslim Bumiputeras, which was shot down by Mr Zahid throughout his own campaign for the presidency.

Perhaps that’s why he lost.

Perhaps the reforms Mr Khairy suggested were just too much for a party still licking its wounds from the GE14 battle it lost at the hands of a 92-year-old “former dictator.”

What about Mr Tengku Razaleigh? At best, the veteran Umno leader was a vote-spoiler, who came in the race at the very last minute to “fix” his party — after decades of hibernation.

The results in itself show how much popularity he truly commands among the party grassroots, despite the Kelantan prince going all-out for the past week on a campaign trail to garner support.

So Umno picked Mr Zahid, a leader who sparked controversy for paying Dr Mahathir a courtesy visit sometime last month, with pictures of the said meeting going around on social media.

Somewhere in Langkawi right now, Dr Mahathir is probably having a private laugh.

Mr Khairy is the Umno president the party needs, but Mr Zahid is probably the leader the party deserves.

What next, then?

For Mr Zahid, the journey to repair Umno’s image and morale will be a long and arduous one, especially for a party which has (in the past) thrived on patronage politics and a “warlord” feudal culture.

Right now, Umno not only has to chart its future alone, but it also has to do so with empty pockets. And that will ultimately be Mr Zahid’s greatest challenge, to close ranks and mobilise support without infrastructure Umno once had.

If Mr Zahid is serious about reforms, he should propose that Mr Khairy be BN’s Opposition Leader when Parliament convenes later this month.

Mr Khairy is willing and eager to prove himself; and according him that space in Parliament will be a good political move in the long run in prepping Umno for its future president.

That is unless Mr Zahid wants more of the status quo. Then it is business as usual, and Umno will become as effective an opposition at the federal level as it has been in the states of Selangor and Penang— virtually non-existent.

For Mr Khairy, claiming Umno’s top spot is going to have to wait, at least for another term.

Until then, he has to do his best to shine, and to galvanise as much support as he can among the party’s grassroots.

What about Mr Tengku Razaleigh?

He may challenge the results, or he may not.

Either way, this election was the best chance to reignite his political career, and with this loss, he’ll probably never get a chance to taste the Umno presidency.

But then again, it is a consolation prize.

The real winner is busy finalising his Cabinet line-up. MALAY MAIL

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Shazwan Mustafa Kamal is assistant news editor at Malay Mail.

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