All Eyes on Putra World Trade Center

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DPM Najib addressing UMNO members in Kuala Lumpur, Tuesday (Starpix)

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KUALA LUMPUR: All eyes will be on the Putra World Trade Center in Kuala Lumpur, capital of Malaysia over the next few days.

On Thursday, some 2,509 delegates of the United Malaysia National Organisation (UMNO) will cast their votes to elect party leaders who will have only four years left before leading it into the nation's next general election.

Their choice will be crucial as the new UMNO leaders are expected to reorganise and rejuvenate the party after its dismal performance in Malaysia's 12th general election on 8 March 2008. UMNO is the biggest component party of the 13-member National Front (BN) which has ruled Malaysia since the country's formation in 1963 but had its worst election outing last year. BN lost its 2/3 majority in the Malaysian Parliament and lost control of 5 of the 13 State governments for the first time. (Infact 6 if the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur is to be included.)

The opposition front, People's Alliance (PR) comprising the multiracial Justice Party (PKR), the Islamic Party (PAS), and the Chinese-based DAP was led by former Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Anwar Ibrahim who made a spectacular political comeback after spending a few years in jail. His wife Dr Azizah acted as PKR president while he was under detention. Anwar was heir-apparent to former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad until he was sacked as No.2 both in government and UMNO in 1997 at the height of the Asian financial crisis.

BN's near-defeat performance last year also cut short UMNO president Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's tenure as Prime Minister. Soon after the 2008 election, voices from within UMNO itself began to be heard that the party leadership must change if BN were to improve its next election showing. The UMNO president has traditionally been the Malaysian prime minister. Abdullah took over from the long-serving Mahathir (22 years) late 2003. In 2004, he led the BN to one of its best election outings. But luck was no longer with him last year.

Abdullah finally bowed to pressure when he announced late last year that he would not defend the UMNO presidency. The 5-day UMNO Congress was supposed to have been held last December but Abdullah postponed it to this month, apparently to buy time to wind-up unfinished business.

Abdullah's withdrawal led to the ascension of his deputy (in both party and government), Najib Razak who was unchallenged when nomination for the post of UMNO president closed. The popular Najib is son of Malaysia's second Prime Minister, Razak Hussein (1970-1976). Although no date has been announced, Abdullah is expected to hand over the reign of government to Najib anytime after Saturday, the last day of the UMNO Congress. Najib will become UMNO president officially after the party election results are announced Thursday night.

With the party president post having been won by Najib unopposed, the focus will now be on the election of the deputy president, the post presently held by Najib. The UMNO deputy president has also traditionally been the Deputy Prime Minister. In other words, the No.2 most powerful man in both the ruling party and government of Malaysia which was formed in 1963 comprising the former British colonies of Malaya, Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak. However, Singapore pulled out of the federation in 1965.

Originally, there was supposed to have been 3 candidates for the the No.2 post. They were incumbent UMNO vice-presidents (3rd in the party heirrachy) Muhyiddin Yassin and Ali Rustam as well as party information chief Muhammad Taib. However, Ali was last week barred from contesting by UMNO's powerful disciplinary board. Ali gets to keep his post as Chief Minister of Melaka state, for the time being at least though.

This makes the contest for the UMNO deputy presidency a straight fight between Muhiyydin and Muhammad, both members of the Malaysian Cabinet; with the former being more senior though.

Between the duo, Muhiyddin is expected to have the upper hand. A long-serving UMNO vice-president, he also received more nominations than Muhammad. He has to be more popular than Muhammad because he was the most vocal in asking Abdullah to step down "to save UMNO."

"Najib infact has Muhyiddin to thank for because if not for the latter, Abdullah could not have agreed to make way so soon," an observer pointed out. On the other hand, Muhammad has been seen as a 'yes man' as it was Abdullah who made him a Senator and subsequently a Minister. "You can't have an appointed Senator, someone who did not win an election, as the Deputy Premier," the observer added.

Muhyiddin is also more educated and has more exposure on the international stage, having serves as both Chief Minister of Johor state and a federal minister for decades. Although Muhammad was also Chief Minister of Selangor state before, he however became a federal minister only last year.

Former premier Dr Mahathir, when asked recently who should be chosen No.2, replied that party delegates had little choice as one of the candidates did not have mastery of the English language.Without mentioning names, Mahathir was obviously mocking Muhammad who, when caught at an Australian airport for having excessive cash when he was Chief Minister more than a decade ago, said he couldn't understand the notice in English!

The other contest which will also attract attention and immense interest is for the post of the chief of the powerful and influencial Youth Wing of UMNO, a post equivalent to a vice-president. Incumbent Hishamuddin Hussein, son of Malaysia's 3rd Prime Minister, Hussein Onn, is not seeking re-election as he is eyeing promotion as a full-fledged vice-president. The UMNO vice-presidency is a stepping stone to the higher deputy presidency and eventually the presidency. Hishamuddin should have no problem winning one of the 3 vice-presidencies as he is a cousin of the in-coming party president and prime minister Najib. Their mothers are sisters. Their late fathers were both Prime Ministers. Sort of Malaysia's Kennedys.

Eyeing the Youth chief post are three candidates - former Selangor chief minister Mohd Khir and members of parliament Muhkriz Mahathir and Khairy Jamaluddin.

But the focus will be on Muhkriz and Khairy. The former is the son of ex-premier Dr Mahathir and the latter, son-in-law of out-going premier Abdullah. Infact, many view it as a proxy fight between Mahathir and Abdullah.

'Proxy fight' because Mahathir had a falling out with his chosen successor soon after the 2004 election, obviously because Abdullah stopped listening to his former boss; having won a massive mandate in that election. Since then, the out-spoken Mahathir had repeatedly asked for Pak Lah's (Abdullah's nick name) resignation. Mahathir's calls intensified after BN's dismal election outing last year, assisted by UMNO leaders like Muhyiddin and Mahathir's own son, Muhkriz.

Meanwhile, Khairy's popularity fell together with that of his father-in-law's. The husband of the premier's daughter had also been blamed for BN's poor showing in the 2008 election. Critics said he was too influencial and was actually running the country, a charge denied by Abdullah.

Who does Najib favour as his deputy and as his new Youth Chief who is normally also a Minister? The in-coming premier dropped some hints when he spoke at the simu;ltaneous opening of UMNO's youth, women and maidens wings Tuesday night. If the party delegates understood his hint of "vote for those who dare to speak out", he was clearly siding Muhyiddin as No.2 and Muhkriz as youth chief.

By this time tomorrow, Malaysians would know.