Khairy Qualifies To Contest UMNO Youth Chief Post

Khairy Jamaluddin has finally made it to the starting grid in his bid to become the next Umno Youth chief. He obtained the 39th nomination necessary from the Tangga Batu division today. He still trails Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir in the number of nominations received so far.

KUALA LUMPUR: It’s official. Khairy Jamaluddin can now take on Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir for the Umno youth chief post.

Khairy, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s son-in-law, secured his 38th, 39th, and 40th nominations from the Tawau, Tangga Batu and Gua Musang divisions.

On hearing the news, Khairy said that he was “pleased to have qualified given the level of scrutiny I have had to go through, from the time I entered the political arena in 1999.”

“I shall subject myself now to an even more intense screening not just by delegates to the Pemuda UMNO General Assembly but all Malaysians who have encountered a range of stories, good and bad, about me.

“I accept that the onus is on me to explain my convictions and reasons for offering myself as a prospective leader,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mukhriz, the son of former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, is still in the lead with 64 nominations, well over the crucial 39 needed.

The third contender Datuk Seri Dr Khir Toyo has yet to make it with only 30 nominations.

His earlier nomination from Gua Musang was nullified and in a new meeting convened on Saturday, the nomination was given to Khairy instead.

The 191 divisions have until Nov 9 to hold their meetings and offer their nominations ahead of party polls in March.

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Khairy wants end to right wing Umno politics

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 12 - Umno Youth Chief contender Khairy Jamaluddin said the party can no longer continue with right-wing politics.

"If you continue with right wing politics and try to convince people this is the way forward then I think you have been left behind," he told The Malaysian Insider recently.

Khairy, who is trailing behind Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir in the nominations race so far, had in recent years positioned himself as a somewhat typical Umno Youth-type firebrand politician who frequently championed the need for a continuation of affirmative action.

But in launching his bid for the Umno Youth Chief's post, he has now turned to the platform of running as a "Malaysian," as opposed to that of"Malay."

He acknowledged the big risk he was taking in trying to push some form of reform agenda for Umno.

"Before this we have been an incestuous organisation. We only mingled among ourselves. Now is the time to reach out.

"There are many out there who are not members of Umno, MCA or MIC Youth. If we don't get them, the opposition is going to get them," said Khairy, when met in Kuala Lumpur recently.

"I have looked at what have happened over the last three to four years and I realized that we have made some strategic errors.

"When I searched my soul after the last general election for a platform that is not only popular but is right, I found this is the platform that is right. And I am willing to risk the Umno youth contest in taking up this platform.

So far, his rival Mukhriz has the edge in the contest for nominations.

And while Khairy talks about ideas and reform, the contest is also fast turning into a battle of personalities in a proxy fight between his father-in-law Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the father of Mukhriz.

At the Besut Umno Youth meeting yesterday, Khairy only obtained seven votes while Mukhriz garnered 200 votes. Even Dr Khir, who is not a favourite in the contest, managed to grab more votes than Khairy. The former Selangor Menteri Besar received 15 votes.

The Besut Umno Youth results appear to suggest there are still many in the party's grassroots who see the contest as one between personalities.

"It is not that Besut doesn't like Khairy, but Mukhriz came to meet the divisional leaders recently," said the newly elected Besut Umno Youth chief, Mahdi Musa.

Mahdi's deputy, Kamarulzaman Idris, was explicit in rejecting Khairy's campaign platform, saying it is not important whether he is standing as a Malay or Malaysian.

"What matters now is for the Umno leadership to convince the Malays and others to have faith in the government and ensure the stability of the country," he told The Malaysian Insider.

Kamarulzaman, who was also newly elected, agrees with his boss that the fact that Mukhriz was here before the meeting helped him in securing the nomination.

"Mukhriz's name was proposed by someone on the stage, while Khairy was proposed by one of the delegates, so the delegates naturally elected the person favoured by the leaders. To get more votes, Khairy's name should have been proposed by one of the Besut Youth leaders," said Kamarulzaman.

Khairy camp cries foul over Kimanis nomination

(Malaysiakini) Supporters of Umno Youth chief aspirant Khairy Jamaluddin are crying foul over the outcome of the Kimanis, Sabah, division meeting yesterday, where rival Mukhriz Mahathir won his first nomination for the wing's topmost post.

A Khairy supporter told Malaysiakini that between 45 to 50 supporters were barred from returning to the Membakut Community Hall near Papar, where the meeting to nominate the Youth top posts was being held.

The group had taken a break from the 12-hour long meeting to go for their Maghrib prayers. But when they returned, they were not allowed to re-enter the hall.

An election by a show of hands later took place, with Mukhriz capturing 51 votes and Khairy pulling 31.

“All the candidates want to see a respectable, democratic and friendly contest, which is why we hope Kimanis will be an isolated event. So far, it has been the only sad episode,” the supporter said.

“After all, our biggest concern is the next general election where Umno must convince young Malaysians to back Barisan Nasional, not fighting among ourselves.”

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Khairy: Postponement will bring problems

(NST) "I don't know if the decision will affect my position (as one of those contesting the Youth wing's top post) or not," he said after distributing Hari Raya gifts to the underprivileged at the Kampung Gadong community hall here. "The way I'm looking at it is from the point of view of a candidate.

"I'm not against the decision but I'm just saying the campaign period has become six months now, which brings its own set of problems.

"When the campaign period is extended from two to six months, we will be focused on politicking for the whole six months."

Khairy, who was accompanied by his expectant wife, Nori Abdullah, said he hoped those responsible for monitoring the campaign would be stringent in enforcing party regulations.

The Rembau MP said he respected the decision made by the Umno supreme council as they would have weighed several factors, including the party's unity and stability.

Khairy said the decision on who was to be elected as the wing's chief and deputy should be left to the division and delegates.

Khairy, 32, will challenge former Selangor menteri besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo, Jerlun MP Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir and Padang Besar Umno Youth head Datuk Zahidi Zainal Abidin for the Youth chief post.

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I'm being sabotaged, says Khairy

(Malaysiakini) Umno Youth deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin believes that he is being sabotaged by certain quarters who are preventing party members from meeting him.

The Rembau parliamentarian, who has expressed his desire to contest for the Umno Youth chief post, claims he has proof of this.

khairy jamaluddinAccording to him, at certain functions which he attended, there were those who had asked Umno members not to attend.

"I have proof that there are those trying to stop Umno members from getting to know their leaders," he was quoted as saying by Bernama.

"For me, all party members have the right to get to know their leaders and approach me, so there is no need for such preventions," he added.

Responding to Mukhriz

Khairy, who is also the son-in-law of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, was commenting on the statement made by Jerlun MP Mukhriz Mahathir who is also vying for the Umno Youth chief post.

Mukhriz, the son of former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad, had called for an immediate stop to the attempts of preventing party members from meeting the leaders or candidates.

At present, there are five contenders in the battle for the Youth chief post. Besides Khairy and Mukhriz, the others are Perlis Umno deputy chief Zahidi Zainul Abidin, former Selangor menteri besar Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo and Energy, Water and Communications Minister Shaziman Abu Mansor.

However, the Umno supreme council this morning decided to postpone the party polls and annual general meeting to March next year to allow for a smooth transfer of power from Abdullah to his deputy, Najib Abdul Razak.

The meeting, along with party elections, was scheduled to be held in December.