Hishammuddin banks on ties for future in Umno
Joseph Sipalan,The Malay Mail
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein can point to many attributes in the defence of his Umno vice-presidency, but observers believe that none are more convincing than the latter half of his name.
He is now a five-term member of parliament, and has served as a federal minister under various portfolios for nearly as long. Hishammuddin can also lay claim to being a symbol of Malay supremacy, even if in the past, when he became the last to brandish the keris – a traditional Malay dagger – during an impassioned speech while serving as Umno Youth chief at the party’s 2005 general assembly.
But for all his political and government experience, Hishammuddin’s support appeared to rest primarily on his status as the son of third prime minister Tun Hussein Onn and the nephew of Tun Abdul Razak, the second.
As such, he must depend on continuity and status quo to retain his position. “He is the weakest link, but he has the advantage of incumbency and the tacit support of the two incumbents,” political analyst Khoo Kay Peng said, referring to Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, who are also defending their vice-president posts this Saturday.
But Ahmad Zahid’s rise has also contributed to Hishammuddin’s own decline. The two swapped portfolios after Election 2013, with the former taking over as home minister while the latter was placed in charged of defence.
Ahmad Zahid’s decisive manner in running the Home Ministry also drew further attention to Hishammuddin’s tenure there, during which he was branded “Menteri Amaran Dalam Negeri” (Minister of Internal Warnings) by Umno critics for his penchant for issuing cautions instead taking action.
