‘Give me a good team’
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Resistance from the powerful grassroots and warlords has stymied past attempts for reforms but Datuk Seri Najib made it clear in his opening speech to Umno's Youth, Wanita and Puteri wings that the party was already in danger of losing the support of even the Malays. — PHOTO: REUTERS By Carolyn Hong, Malaysia Bureau Chief (The Straits Times) |
Malaysia's next prime minister Najib Razak yesterday delivered a blunt message to his beleaguered Umno party: Vote with integrity for its next generation of leaders or risk being consigned to oblivion.
Speaking on the eve of crucial party elections, Datuk Seri Najib urged members to vote a line-up of leaders who are strong and able. 'Present to me a team that has the traits of loyalty, integrity, ability and dedication to duty,' he said at the opening of the Youth, Wanita and Puteri wings' assembly last night.
It was an impassioned plea to a party that has been severely weakened by the trouncing it received at last year's general election. Umno has come to be seen as an insular and corrupt party with self-serving leaders.
Umno's triennial party elections today and tomorrow will, for the first time in decades, see nearly all its posts up for contest. Mr Najib is unchallenged for the presidency.
Speaking from a position of strength as he stood on the cusp of power, he used the occasion to spell out Umno's woes, one by one, that he said could send the party into the footnotes of history.
He told the delegates that Umno was seen as out of touch and elitist, with its elections tainted with vote buying and money politics. 'Leaders of good standing who do not indulge in corruption will be sidelined in favour of those who bribe. The party will be led by those who will bring their culture of corruption in the way they lead,' he said.
Mr Najib went on to outline sweeping proposals to the party's election process to make it harder to buy votes. He wanted to give the right to vote to more Umno members, instead of just the 2,600 delegates to the Umno assembly.
He also wanted the party to relook the requirement for candidates to be nominated by a certain number of divisions to qualify to contest.
An identical message was stressed by Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, the outgoing Umno president, to the delegates at a closed-door session. 'I reminded them of their role to choose the right leaders. This is so that we can regain the people's confidence,' he told reporters.
It is, however, left to be seen if the party grassroots, fed a diet of patronage, would welcome a new system that will cut their lifeline. Resistance from the powerful grassroots and warlords has stymied past attempts to reform.
