Scarce echo of Khairy’s speech in Umno Youth debate

Written by Chua Sue-Ann, The Edge

Hundreds of Umno Youth delegates rose in standing ovation during their chief Khairy Jamaluddin’s fiery maiden policy speech on Oct 14, but the debate that followed made little mention of Khairy’s calls for the party to stay away from its “siege mentality” and the “Malay dominance” rhetoric.

The key feature during the debate of the Umno Youth chief’s speech by some 13 state representatives was Barisan Nasional’s (BN) victory in the recent Bagan Pinang polls as well as Umno’s proposed constitutional reforms set to be officially unveiled Oct 15.

Tuan Aziz Tuan Mat, who was BN’s candidate in the Manek Urai by-election, reminded delegates that Umno still faced larger struggles ahead despite scoring a strong showing in Bagan Pinang.

“The power of the rakyat is stronger than the party’s power. We have to find a new mechanism to make the party more people-friendly,” Tuan Aziz said.

On the party’s constitutional reforms, Tuan Aziz reminded that the structural changes to Umno were merely a small part of the change desired by the grassroots and the rakyat.

“Umno cannot just rely on abolishing (nomination) quotas and increasing the number of eligible voters. There is more room for improvement to increase people’s confidence in the leadership of Umno and Barisan Nasional,” he told some 795 Youth delegates on Oct 14.

With the elation of the Bagan Pinang polls still fresh, on Oct 14’s speeches by many of the Umno Youth state representatives sounded as though they were tailored for a ceramah.

Many could not resist taking swipes at the opposition, particularly PAS and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Meanwhile, several speakers took the opportunity to vent frustration at the purported lack of funds for Umno Youth divisions to operate while one speaker managed to slip in a thinly-veiled request for a cabinet position for their chief.

Khairy is the only wing leader in Umno without a ministerial position. Wanita head Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil is the women, family and community development minister while Puteri’s Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin is the deputy health minister. Khairy’s deputy, Datuk Razali Ibrahim is the deputy sports minister.

Indera Mahkota Umno Youth chief Suhaimi Sulong made an appeal to his “friends sitting up there and in government positions” to look after the welfare of the party’s grassroots.

“Our friends up there, don’t be too comfortable. Do what you need to do to channel (funds) to them because it is Umno Youth (that fuels the party’s machinery),” said Suhaimi, who represented Pahang Umno Youth.

Jasin Umno Youth chief Zaidi Atan, speaking for Melaka Umno Youth, similarly issued an urgent call to Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak to increase allocations for Umno Youth so that the party’s youth wing would not be seen as “beggars or contract hunters”.

Responding to that matter in his winding-up speech, Khairy pointed out that Najib on Oct 13 announced increased allocations for Umno divisions and pledged to ask for the additional funds to be channelled directly to Umno Youth divisions.

Khairy also told delegates he was encouraged by the spirit of unity within the Umno Youth wing despite the close fight for leadership posts during the party elections in March this year.

Khairy won the three-cornered battle for the Umno Youth chief seat when he bagged 304 votes against deputy minister of international trade and industry Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir and former Selangor menteri besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Khir Toyo who won 232 votes and 254 votes respectively.