Comeback Kid still has long way to go
YESTERDAY'S Man is now Comeback Kid.
NEW STRAITS TIMES
Just days ago, Khairy Jamaluddin was seen as Yesterday's Man with his father-in-law passing the Umno presidential baton to Datuk Seri Najib Razak, and let off with a warning after being found guilty by association of flouting election rules during an internal probe.
His critics had even written him off in the three-cornered fight for the Umno Youth chief post in favour of Datuk Mukh-riz Mahathir or Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo.
Their conclusions then were understandable as the 33-year-old son-in-law of outgoing Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was the underdog from day one, having received the fewest number of nominations among the contenders.
The contest lived up a bit to the suggested "proxy battle" between former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Abdullah, for the simple reason that Mukhriz is Dr Mahathir's youngest son.
As it turned out, the fight became closer between Khairy and Dr Khir, the former Selangor menteri besar who is known to be a hard worker in the background after the state fell to the opposition in the last general election.
There are bound to be questions whether Dr Mahathir, who campaigned for his son, still wields influence in the party.
Delegates believed in Khai-ry's Setiakawan (Unity and Friendship) concept to revive the Youth wing, which failed to deliver the young Malay votes in last year's general election.
Umno candidates also lost the support of younger voters in the Permatang Pauh and Kuala Terengganu by-elections.
A tough task awaits Khairy as he has to win back the young voters.
He has to address incoming Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak's concerns that Malay youths are being enticed by other parties.
Khairy also has to see to it that Najib's aspiration to see Umno stop the old culture of eliminating and blocking talented young members from making progress in the party is fulfilled.
Choosing the right Umno Youth leader has been important since 1998, when young Malays began rejecting Umno over the sacking of then deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The process of selecting a new leader in Umno Youth has been about answering the question of who shall most inspire young voters in the next general election.
Khairy is the one. He has convinced delegates he can relate to youths, possibly because he is in his early 30s compared with Mukhriz, 44.
Delegates find the Rembau MP has certain qualities, among others, his experience as Umno Youth deputy chief since 2000 that the other two contenders lack.
They see in him as someone with no protocol, a young leader whom they can relate to and also one who can take to the streets to fight a stand taken by the movement on local and international issues.
Khairy was brought into the Umno Youth executive council in 2000 by former chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein to bracket angry students during the height of reformasi.
Khairy won the wing's No. 2 post uncontested in 2004.
And him being almost a permanent feature during campaigning in by-elections is added value, as this has led to many new members of the wing looking up to him as their mentor.
The journey for Khairy is a long way ahead.
