Syed Rosli made news during the nominations for the wrong reasons.
He arrived with a copy of the Holy Quran and went into a tirade against money politics.
It was all aimed at Khairy whom he allegedly likened to a “Bangla” (Bangladeshi) simply because Khairy, whose father was a diplomat, had spent a large part of his boyhood and academic years abroad.
Syed Rosli achieved his 15 seconds of fame.
The challengers all appear to be going on the “agama, bangsa dan negara (faith, race and nation)” platform.
It is their way of opposing Khairy’s contemporary voice and his efforts to take the wing to a more centrist position.
They want Umno Youth to return to its traditional path of defending Islam and the Malay race.
People outside Umno think that voices like Akhram’s belong to the past but Umno is home to many Malays who adhere to right-wing and nationalist views and he will get their support.
There is still a sizeable group in the wing who are loyal to Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir, who had lost in a three-way fight that also involved ex-Selangor MB Datuk Seri Dr Khir Toyo for the Youth leadership in 2009.
Akhram is aligned to this group.
On top of this, he will get the usual protest votes that exist in any contest.
“Akhram cannot be taken lightly if you count all these factors,” said a Malay journalist.
Khairy’s dilemma is not unlike that of senior Umno leaders – they have to represent the Malay voice in Umno yet, at the same time, project themselves as Malaysian leaders.
Khairy’s years abroad is being used against him but that experience has given him a broad world view that is evident when he speaks.
He has spent a lot of time engaging young professionals of all races.
The audience is sometimes critical and asks tough questions.
But as the above journalist pointed out, “dia berani berdepan”.
He is not afraid to face his critics and they end up listening to what he has to say.
While Khairy can sometimes come across as cocky, many in Umno acknowledge that he is clever, thinks on his feet and not afraid to take on anyone from the other side of the fence.
His series of debates with key figures from Pakatan Rakyat is often held as proof that he has “brains and balls”.
He has his share of critics in the party but a growing circle admits that Khairy is Prime Minister material.
He has the self-confidence, the intellect and the ambition.
But it is a slippery ladder from where he is to the dream job.
There are many steps to climb and Malay politics is much about moving up one step at a time.
Khairy’s concern for now is to take a second term as Umno Youth leader.
He wants to finish what he had started and to win back the young voters and fence-sitters.
He intends to groom the next echelon and help the Government realise the aspirations of the new Malay generation and, beyond that, the Malaysian generation.
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