Read but consider the ‘fluidity’

 

Mohsin Abdullah, fz.com 

 

This despite the fact there are three VP slots and you expected three names. It’s that “Zahid” is the overwhelming favourite to retain his seat leaving other contenders to fight it out for the remaining two.

 

“Zahid” is of course Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, former defence minister and currently home minister, who won the vice-presidency in 2009.

 

“At the rate it’s going, Zahid is more popular than (Umno president Datuk Seri) Najib (Razak). Look at all the blogs,” said an Umno insider. 

 

The “blogs” he was referring to are the ones run by Umno bloggers which have been highlighting Zahid’s “statements” extensively. But come to think of it, so too have the media – mainstream or otherwise. 

 

As for the “statements”, well the focus has been on Malay interest, Malay rights, Malayness, nationalism and of course Islam. Quite a number of times “controversial”, triggering “concerns” among non-Malays but obviously the very things Umno wants to hear. 

 

What’s the word to use? “Ultra”, said a political observer. Hard word, perhaps, but with such “very Malay image Zahid’s going to win”, said the observer. Hence are we to assume that to win an Umno election, one must be “very Islamic, very Malay”?

   

“Yes, perfect combo. Very Malay, veryJawa, very appealing,” said the Umno insider.  

 

Zahid is of Javanese descent and Najib has often, in front of Umno assemblies, referred to Zahid as “Jawa” and at the same time called the other VPs – Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and Datuk Shafei Apdal “Turki” and “lanun” respectively.

 

Hisham’s grandfather Datuk Onn Jaafar is said to have had Turkish blood while Shafei’s “sea-faring” ancestors earned him the nickname “lanun” which is Malay for pirates. 

 

But Najib’s “nick-naming” the trio is not seen by Umno as derogatory but rather something done in jest. In fact, it is also seen as a “sign of intimacy” with the logic being “he won’t be calling them (funny) names in public if he is not close to them”.

 

And that “friendly gesture” can be expected to feature in the campaign running up to party polls.