Zahid-KJ combo to replace Najib-Muhyiddin?

A possible new UMNO tag team of Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Khairy Jamaluddin is in the making, according to veteran journalist Datuk A. Kadir Jasin.

The convincing wins by both leaders places them as leaders next in line after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his deputy Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, especially for Zahid, said the former group editor-in-chief of New Straits Times in his blog The Scribe today.

Zahid is currently Home Minister while Khairy is the Youth and Sports Minister. Both won the party vice-president and the UMNO youth chief respectively with the most votes.

Kadir said Ahmad Zahid, who may get more votes from the Youth block if he works with Khairy, needs to look past Shafie and Hishammuddin to move forward and tackle future challenges.

“The combination of Ahmad Zahid-Khairy is needed and relevant looking at their respective background, education, exposure and approach that are different,” said Kadir.

Kadir said that Ahmad Zahid can act as the Malay champion within the country, while Khairy can be the spokesperson outside of Malaysia.

“As a global country, Malaysia needs leaders who has a global personality. Being just a jaguh kampong (village champion) is not enough,” he added.

Kadir said that both leaders should also rope in the Puteri movement into the mainstream politics and administration of the country, expressing confidence in the new Puteri chief Mas Ermieyati Samsudin.

Kadir said that with the votes from the UMNO delegates, Zahid’s position now was very firm given that he received the most votes, followed by Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal and Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.

“It is not impossible that he would transform himself from a loyal supporter to become a challenger for the top positions in the future,” he said.

In his opinion piece, Kadir wrote that Ahmad Zahid evokes a stern personality compared to Hishammuddin, the previous Home Minister.

"His firm stance on crime and national security differentiates him from the liberalism of Najib,” he said.

Kadir said that Najib’s rushed abolishment of the Internal Security Act(ISA) and Emergency Ordinance, which resulted in a spike in crime.

“Zahid’s stance and approach since becoming minister clearly differentiates himself from the liberalism and openness of Najib, which is unpopular among the Malays, especially Umno members, "added Kadir.

However, Kadir also expressed that the new voting power giving to UMNO members at the grassroots after the 2009 Constitutional amendment, did not bring about any big change or shift or a set of convincing new leaders.

"There is no firm indication that UMNO is younger, fresher and is lined up with a new generation except for a few who won normal seats in the supreme council,” he said.

He said that it was unhealthy to vote in so many ministers and deputy ministers as that would weaken the council’s voice to speak up for the Malays.

“There are only a handful who do not hold positions in the supreme council who can be the voice of the Malays and bumiputera if they wish so and are bold enough,” he said.

Kadir warned that there will now be only those who act as "yes men and women" to the party president.

This, he wrote, clearly distinguished UMNO from PKR, PAS and DAP which have many young leaders as well as a second echelon who are well-grounded in research and debate.

Kadir expressed concern that such a situation would bring UMNO to its doom, likening it to a dodo bird which will soon go extinct.