‘UMNO MEMBERS PREFER OLD LINEUP’
This will not contribute to party’s rebranding, say experts
UMNO’S new lineup appears to be a continuation of its previous leadership even as experts believe the “re-election of similar guards” into power will not contribute significantly to the party’s rebranding efforts.
Analysts said the new administration under party president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and his deputy Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan proved that more than 150,000 Umno delegates who voted in the lineup, want the party to be helmed by a similar leadership.
Universiti Utara Malaysia political analyst Professor Dr Mohd Azizuddin Mohd Sani said the lineup, however, did not reflect a strong desire to reinvent the party and believed that delegates had only voted in candidates with whom they were familiar.
“The delegates do not seem to be bold enough to implement a drastic change.
“Outsiders (potential supporters) are generally upset with the new lineup which composed of old leaders in different positions.
“Even the pledges made by Zahid are not clear.
“You cannot feel the specific change or the substance that he has planned to put in,” Azizuddin said.
Zahid told a media conference on Sunday that the party would undergo an organisational restructuring following the election on new office-bearers and its recent national polls results.
Among others, Zahid said he would review the party’s charter, regulations and suitable positions for former youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin and party veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah in Umno.
Both Khairy and Tengku Razaleigh had lost in their respective bid for the party presidency.
Azizuddin added both Khairy and Tengku Razaleigh might have had clearer pledges to rejuvenate the 72-yearold political party.
“Tengku Razaleigh seemed to be the one who was most committed to enforcing change in the party, and so was Khairy.
“But of course, Tengku Razaleigh may have passed his prime among the grassroots, while Khairy may yet possess the necessary clout.”
Earlier yesterday, Umno information chief Tan Sri Annuar Musa in a report published by Umno Online defended allegations that there were relatively no new faces elected as office bearers in the party.
Commenting on former Puteri chief Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsuddin’s “expectations” that 70 per cent of the new leadership be made up of fresh faces, Annuar said the Masjid Tanah lawmaker was wrong in her assumptions.
Annuar said more than half of the elected 25 Umno supreme council members were new faces, including Sungai Tiang state seat incumbent and Pendang Umno division chief Datuk Suraya Yaacob, former Puteri wing exco Khadirah Abu Zahar and former Puteri chief Datuk Rosnah Rashid Shirlin.
“And there are also other new faces (in the supreme council) such as (Kok Lanas assemblyman and Kelantan Umno information chief) Datuk Md Alwi Che Ahmad, (Perlis Umno state liaison secretary) Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin, (former Umno Youth exco) Datuk Dr Fathul Bari Mat Jahya and (former finance ministry strategic communications director and former PKR Youth secretary) Lokman Noor Adam and (former supreme council member for the term 2009-2011) Datuk Azian Osman.
“(If we include) the deputy permanent chairman, president, deputy president and the three vice-presidents, there will be a total of 17 new faces out of 32 members (complete composition of the supreme council) which means 50 per cent of the team are new faces.”
Universiti Malaya’s Associate Professor Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi said more delegates had come out to cast their votes and it revealed Umno’s true political culture.
The political analyst said the recent polls was Umno’s most democratic yet since previously, the top two posts were not open for contest.
“There are more candidates running for party posts this time. The campaigns were done without restrictions and (it appears) the culture of money politics did not take place.”
Awang Azman said Zahid was also picked as the party president due to the need to formalise his leadership which was done on an interim capacity.