Khairy now a polished gem
The Youth and Sports Minister’s ability to reach out and explain a moderate Malay standpoint without losing his credibility with the Malay heartland goes to show that there’s still ‘some’ hope in Umno.
Watching Khairy at the recently concluded Malaysian Student Leaders Summit (organised by the United Kingdom and Eire Council of Malaysian Students or UKEC), I was struck by the extent to which he’s gained from his time in the political “wilderness”.
Karim Raslan, The Star
KHAIRY Jamaluddin (pic) has and always will be different. He’s taller, more handsome (in a dark way), smarter and sharper than most if not all, Malaysian leaders.
Only Rafizi Ramli (who desperately needs to lose weight) can match him blow for blow – intellectually and politically.
The others whether they’re in Pakatan or Barisan are merely on-lookers in what is shaping up to be a major battle for the future leadership of the Malay community and by extension, Malaysia.
Needless to say, PAS’ hapless Youth chief, Nasaruddin Tantowi is fast becoming an irrelevance, leaving the two young men locked in political combat for many years if not decades to come.
Watching Khairy at the recently concluded Malaysian Student Leaders Summit (organised by the United Kingdom and Eire Council of Malaysian Students or UKEC), I was struck by the extent to which he’s gained from his time in the political “wilderness”.
Just over three months into his Cabinet post, the 37-year-old seems to have settled well into his Youth and Sports Ministry portfolio.
The fact that he came to represent the Government and the Prime Minister at the prestigious conference underlines the level of trust placed upon the Umno Youth leader by the current administration (notwithstanding his prominent detractors).
Of course, it also helps that Khairy, a father of two, looks and sounds like most of the young men in the audience.
He’s definitely the kind of guy who knows all the latest apps on his iPhone.
Indeed, his youthfulness and intelligence has enabled him to build a degree of trust and mutual respect with the UKEC’s members whose annual gathering in KL has become one of the most important dates in the Malaysian political calendar.
Suited-up and in front of a tough and yet thoroughly Malaysian audience, Khairy was confident, articulate, frank and witty (a rarity in Umno) – navigating adeptly through a range of thorny questions posed to him from the floor.
As a veteran student activist, Khairy’s responses were well thought through and astute – ideal for the twitter generation.
Having watched him debating with Rafizi earlier last year in London (also at a UKEC event) it was good to see that he’d raised his game.
Eighteen months of constant campaigning and ceramahs in between has made him a far more polished performer, confident enough to show a little vulnerability in the face of tough questions, thereby earning mounds of sympathy from an distinctly ambivalent crowd.
For example, when he was asked what he admired about Pakatan, he paused before answering and very graciously – “their camaraderie”.
Needless to say his candour and honesty (neither of which are Umno traits) won further points.
Moreover, the Rembau MP who more than tripled his constituency majority in the 13th general election was straight-forward enough to admit to his Government’s shortcomings and brutally frank when he outlined the three C’s that were needed to be tackled in order to win back younger voters – corruption, crime and cost of living.
Indeed, if the 3Cs are addressed effectively, it may even solve Barisan’s conundrum in getting back urban support.
More importantly and despite being in an Umno election season – where contenders for top posts are expected to sound extremely pro-Malay – Khairy was able to balance the demands of the party’s right wing with the broader Malaysian agenda.
He didn’t ask those who disagreed with him or his Government’s policies to opt to live elsewhere.
Instead, he offered a well-reasoned explanation of the moderation at the heart of the grand old party while acknowledging the more conservative elements.
Much to the excitement of the 500 plus crowd, he also criticised those who labelled the recent Metallica concert as hedonistic and a threat to one’s faith.
It’s refreshing for “Middle Malaysians” such as myself to have Khairy centre-stage.
He has his weaknesses – there’s an arrogance and a meanness – but in an environment where brutishness dominate, his studied confidence and sheer brain-power is reassuring.
In a way, Khairy’s ability to reach out and explain a moderate Malay standpoint without losing his credibility with the Malay heartlands goes to show that there’s still “some” hope in Umno.
I especially appreciated his tact and razor-like pointedness when he was pressed by a questioner to choose one word that best summed up the Head of the Opposition.
Instead of picking something insulting and vulgar as most in Umno would do when discussing Anwar Ibrahim, Khairy chose the word “inconsistent” that neatly summed up the former ABIM leader’s disappointing vacillations. In short Khairy was withering and dismissive without being rude: Malay elegance, understatement and disdain all in one.
Judging by Khairy’s performance over the weekend, he’s really benefited from his years in the political wilderness. He has gained humility and a real sense of grassroots sentiment. Now if only there were a few more like him…
