Johor must vote to decide what is best

THE people of Johor must vote to decide what is best for the stability and economy of the state, particularly the motions that has been set by Datuk Hasni Mohammad, Umno information chief Shahril Hamdan said.

He said it was important that economic plans laid by Hasni, which included attracting investments to the state, must be given the opportunity to continue.

Shahril said none of the personalities that had been used as an issue against Umno and Barisan Nasional were contesting the state elections.

“Our opponents will use our kinds of issues, of course,’’ he said in a webcast interview with prominent journalist Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai, who is also the group advisor of Star Media Group, tonight.

He said Hasni had strong credentials and was well accepted by the people of Johor.

Shahril, who is Umno Youth deputy chairman, was asked whether the party’s leaders, who had faced corruption charges, would carry the baggage, and put the Barisan on the defensive.

He urged the voters to turn out in strong numbers on March 12, the election day.

He refuted talk that a low out would benefit the Barisan, saying he was a strong believer of democracy and the right of every citizen to exercise their vote.

“I believe in the democratic sphere, and we want democracy to be strong. We will make our case to win the votes,” he said.

On how Umno, a 76-year-old party, was going to make changes in line with the increasing huge number of young voters, Shahril admitted the challenges of rejuvenation needed to be faced by older parties, including its partners, MCA and MIC.

“It’s a constant conversation in the party. We will do it deliberately but gradually, so it will not shock the status quo. We need a balance and to take into account the tradition who have given us the strength for the past,” he said.

Taking himself as an example, he said the Umno leadership appointed him an Umno information chief although he was then only 33-years-old, adding that many others had been promoted to positions of influence.

Shahril, 36, who was a strategy and management consultant at McKinsey and Company, before joining Khairy Jamaluddin as a policy officer. He studied economics at University of Manchester and went on to do his Masters at the prestigious London School of Economics and Political Science.

Shahril said it was also important that the new leaders were able to articulate views that the people would find compelling.

He admitted that the Malays, who were just fresh out from schools, might not have the same emotional attachments for older parties like Umno or PAS, adding that they could see “politics from a class lens” but said that Umno understood the challenges and aspirations of the new Malay voters.