Frantic race against time before party’s wings go to polls

PUTRAJAYA: With 24 hours to go before Umno’s three wings go to the polls, it is a frantic race against time for those going all out to win.

Polling for the top posts in the Wanita, Youth and Puteri wings, and exco positions, will be held tomorrow.

A total of 13 candidates are vying for the Wanita, Youth and Puteri chief posts vacated by Tan Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, Khairy Jamaluddin and DatukMasErmieyati Shamsudin.

For the deputy post in the three wings, a total of 14 candidates are making a bid.

The contest for the 20 exco posts in each of the three wings will be a crowded affair.

This is particularly so for the Youth wing with 188 confirmed candidates while Wanita has 82 and Puteri 72.

Wanita Umno chief contender Datuk Noraini Ahmad said the time was ripe for her to take on the added responsibility, pointing to her experience as Puteri chief and a grassroots leader.

“The challenge is great for us in Umno now that Barisan Nasional is not the ruling government.

“If given the chance, I would like to work with the party leadership to restore the people’s confidence in us,” said Noraini, who will be up against Datuk Azizah Dun and Tan Sri Dr Siti Zaharah Sulaiman for the top Wanita post.

Zahida Zarik Khan, who is eyeing the Puteri chief post, said if elected, instead of “promising the moon and stars” she would use the next three years to help revive the party.

“My aim is to get connected with the youth, to convince them that Umno is an inclusive party for all and not just for the elite,” she said.

Zahida, the current Puteri deputy chief, will be challenged by Hazreena Hashim.

Among the candidates for the Umno Youth exco seats are Fadzmel Fadzil and Khamarulazlan Mohamad Hanafiah, who said that despite being hard-pressed for campaign time, the response from the grassroots was great.

The duo, first-timers in the party polls, said feedback showed eagerness and willingness of members to see change in Umno.

“I hope my experience in engaging with the media can help the Youth movement and Umno to reach out to the people,” said Fadzmel, a former press secretary to a minister in the previous government.

Khamarulazlan said Umno needed “total change” if it wanted to regain the trust and confidence of the people.

“The party will have to start afresh, be led like it is a new party and discard the elitist and aristocratic stance that caused many to turn away,” he said.