Umno to choose leaders
Najib's presidency the only given; 10 others do battle for four top posts that will lead to Cabinet
By Elizabeth Looi, The Straits Times
MALAYSIA'S ruling party delegates gathered on Tuesday for a historic congress to choose a virtually new set of leaders, one year after the old guard presided over its most humiliating election drubbing ever.
Hundreds of party members streamed into a conference center next to the headquarters of the United Malays National Organization party to register for a five-day general assembly scheduled to start later Tuesday.
This congress 'is very, very important. It … will set the future direction of Umno,' said Mohamad Mustafa Ishak, a political analyst at North Malaysia University. 'This will serve as an indicator whether Umno is changing or not.' Umno, as the dominant party in the ruling National Front coalition, has been in power since independence in 1957. But never has it appeared more vulnerable as now – riven with infighting, corruption and favoritism, it is rapidly losing voter support and is left to govern a country facing an almost certain recession.
'This is the most critical time in the history of Umno,' said Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is set to be promoted to the prime minister's post during the congress.
'We need to accept this challenge by making massive changes to the party and the government. If we are not brave enough to change, we will be changed by the people,' he said in an interview with party newspapers on Sunday.
More than 2,500 delegates will attend the congress to elect top party leaders, including its president, deputy president, three vice presidents, 25 supreme council members and heads of the party's youth and women's wings.
Mr Najib will be elected unopposed as the party president, a post that traditionally carries with it the office of prime minister.
Mr Najib will replace Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, but no date has been set for the hand-over although it is widely believed to be on April 2 or 3.
Mr Abdullah was forced by dissidents to step down to accept blame for the National Front's abysmal showing in the March 2008 general elections. It failed to win its customary two-thirds majority in Parliament and conceded control of an unprecedented five states to the opposition.
Much of the voter anger was directed at Umno, which is widely perceived as corrupt and inefficient by all races, including the Malays who form its main power base. Its leaders are considered out of touch with the people, especially the minorities who see them as racists responsible for fueling a religious and ethnic divide in the country. The party is also accused of subverting the judiciary, the police force and the bureaucracy.
