Gloom and hope in Umno

The future still looks bleak for this once powerful party but several personalities captured the attention of those at the recent Umno general assembly.

IT was quite ironic that the man who painted a daunting and pessimistic scenario for Umno in the coming years has emerged as the person whom many want to lead their party.

Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Johari Ghani stunned delegates at the party general assembly when he said it would take at least two to three general elections to revive Umno to its former glory.

It was a gloomy story for a party still struggling to find its centre of gravity and especially when he spoke of the commitment and hard work that was needed.

So how is it that so many in his party regard Johari as presidential material?

For a start, he is admired for his business acumen in an age when political leadership has to come with economic know-how. Johari also has a big personality, macho looks and loads of energy.

His admirers also liked that he was honest and did not try to sugarcoat the fact that Umno has yet to regain the support of Malays.

“I would not have spoken that way if not for the fact that the political landscape has changed, the world has changed. We have to get real if we want to move forward,” said Johari who is Plantation and Commodities Minister

Umno is a very hierarchical party and it is rare for someone who came in third among the three vice-presidents in the Umno election to enjoy that kind of standing.

Johari is the sole Umno MP amid a sea of DAP MPs in Kuala Lumpur. Winning the Titiwangsa seat lent him an air of someone who has fought and survived.

Despite being the hope of party members, he knows he has a mountain to climb and is realistic about his prospects.

“I will stay loyal, work hard and speak only when necessary,” he said.

He also has to contend with deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan who is already up there and a heartbeat away from the coveted post.

Mohamad or Tok Mat, made an immensely relevant and realistic speech when he officiated at the opening of the three Umno wings.

But his reputation took a plunge after he went along with the no-contest decision for top two posts in the party polls. It was not a popular move, people in the party did not like it and he has to do more to regain lost ground.

Meanwhile, it was someone almost half of Johari’s age who was the man of the moment at the party general assembly.

Love him or hate him, Datuk Dr Akmal Saleh has brought his own style to the Youth wing which is set to replace the Wanita wing as the backbone of Umno.

He was the target of non-Malay criticism at the height of the KK Mart debacle but all that bashing only embossed his image as a Malay champion in his party. That is the sad story of Malaysia’s politics - what works for one community is a fail for the other community.

“Dr Akmal is a bit of everything. He can be a man’s man, he has the attention of the ladies and he can also be somewhat of a samseng. But being a medical doctor, that comes with a certain calibre.

“There are red lines that he refuses to let anyone cross. But he is a genuinely nice guy and you see that when he interacts with ordinary people and finds solutions to their problems,” said political consultant Datuk Wan Shihab Wan Ismail.

His stand against DAP drew allegations that he is a mouthpiece for the opposition coalition but he is voicing what many Malays inside and outside Umno feel about DAP.

“His speech at the general assembly was simple but on point. He has both feet on the ground, that is the vibe I am getting from him,” said an aide to a former minister.

The Umno leadership, the aide pointed out, is edging away from the aristocrats to the common man who seem better at bringing about a more relevant and less elitist image to the party.

However, Wan Shihab said there is a rising star from Johor with aristocratic ties, namely, Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz.

“He works incredibly hard, from dawn to dusk. He does surprise border checks, goes down to inspect projects and often performs subuh prayers at different mosques and surau.

He is also able to sit down with Singapore leaders on issues affecting both sides of the causeway,” said Wan Shihab.

And despite his pedigree - grandson of Tun Hussein Onn and nephew of Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein - he is down-to-earth, not flashy or publicity-crazy and there is no problematic wife in the background.

Much is resting on Onn who is in charge of the only Barisan Nasional state in the country.

Amid the rising stars was also a fallen star whose presence could be felt even though he was not present.

Supporters of Datuk Seri Najib Razak are still pushing his case and they have reached the conclusion that the Umno leadership is not sincere about going all the way for the former Prime Minister.

Matters have reached “boiling point” among the Bossku circle who found the sajak or poems dedicated to Najib on the Umno stage and also the tears shed to be “sandiwara” or for show.

“No need to cry or sing or recite poetry. Just tell us, does the addendum exist or is it a work of fiction,” said an Umno Youth politician, referring to the document purportedly issued by the former King to allow Najib to serve the remainder of his jail sentence under house arrest.

The Nenggiri by-election was like oxygen for party president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamid.

Ahmad Zahid is not going away anytime soon. He is riding high, he is all-powerful in the party and his bond with the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is still going strong.

The Deputy Prime Minister took Umno through its darkest days and those close to him say that he deserves a shot at the premiership.

He also understands that in politics, it is better to be feared than to be loved.

Very few in Umno dare to criticise him because they fear that “the Javanese keris will suddenly appear from behind,” alluding to Ahmad Zahid’s Javanese origins and the Javanese culture of tucking the keris behind the back.

Ahmad Zahid resembles some sort of a double-edged sword in Umno. They need him there to stay in the federal government but, at the same time, he is the reason why Umno is still struggling with Malay support.

“There is no shortage of potential but the future is unclear, people want a clear succession plan. Umno is not drowning, its head is above water but will it be able to reach the shore again?” said the above aide to a former minister.

The views expressed here are entirely the writer’s own