Khairy Jamaludin: From 4th Floor to Basement

No matter how much Umno Youth Chief Khairy Jamaluddin is going to argue and present the so-called facts on his blog ( I guess there is no traffic there) or to the online papers to support the Umno version of what happened at the National Feedlot Corporation, it will not make sense to normal folks.

Everyday Malaysians would like to eat beef at least twice a week if they can afford it, or else the only source of protein for them will be chicken which is still considered affordable. Fish especially from the sea is almost out of reach for them, the price of fish has sky rocketed to new highs in recent years, with the price of the people's favorite ikan kembong (scomber) is about eleven ringgit a kilo!

With this in mind if the NFC can sell beef cheap to the normal folk, this will make sense to them. Then he can argue till all the cows come home and nobody would mind. Right now it is better for him to shut up, and keep his distance from the NFC debacle.

Before the cows, there were the APs

The great NFC scandal will surely affect Shahrizat and Prime Minister Najib Razak more than anybody else. It is highly unlikely she will be chosen to challenge her lost seat of Lembah Pantai, or be given a seat to contest at all.

This is going to make her arch enemy and predecessor Rafidah Aziz aka Mrs AP rub her hands in glee. I can imagine the smirk on her face now - she was waiting for this day. As for Shahrizat, this will be the end of the road for her recently resurrected political career, but well, at least she got a hefty bonus and a condominium from Umno and several cows with love.

Dresses smart, looks smart, walks smart but ...

Coming back to the former Top Gun on the 4th floor, he dresses smart, looks smart, walks smart but is a pea brain when he shoots his mouth. If he wants to stay in politics especially, Umno he needs to have a strategy to strengthen his base. He may be strong on paper qualifications, but his basement is weak. It's something he needs to rectify fast.

Currently he has an MP's seat in Rembau and is relevant to Umno and to his own political career. If he is not an MP he is finished, so he must make sure he is fielded in the coming polls.

For this, he has to work his butt off or put all his money where his mouth is in order to win in the elections and stay relevant in politics. In the event if he is not chosen to run in the elections, which is unlikely given his position as the Umno Youth Chief, then he has to make a choice.

Leave Umno to survive in his personal political career so that if at 40, he can't be the Prime Minister, then at least at 55, he can be one. That means, he would have to take his place in the queue after Mukhriz Mahathir (The Chosen One) or Nurul Izzah (the People's Favourite) have had their turn.

De-facto PM to a nobody

The 35-year-old Khairy, who used to rule the nest of young strategists hired by his father-in-law and former premier Abdullah Badawi during the 2004 to 2008 period must surely miss his cushy 4th floor office in Putrajaya.

From de-facto PM, Khairy is now at the basement of Umno politics. Even with a powerful portfolio as an Umno Youth Chief , he was not given a ministerial post, which was a disgrace.

And to rub salt into the wound, Mukhriz was appointed the Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry, although this was possible only through the intervention of the Mighty One (his father and former premier Mahathir Mohamad).

Will Dr M ever forgive Khairy

Now everyone knows Mahathir detests Khairy, they don't get along well. For Khairy to immediately emerge from oblivion, he has to face his nemesis, the great Mahathir, and fight his fear of the ex-PM. If Mahathir forgives Khairy, then all will be well for him in Umno.

Khairy can't turn to Najib because the PM is fighting his own little devils inside and outside Umno, and whether Najib is able to maintain his own hand on power is suspect. So Khairy has no choice but to fight his battles on his own, his father in law is of no help. Other options he has are to hibernate for a few years in the business world or leave Umno and join another political party.

Whatever he chooses, he has to do it fast - time is not on his side with all the brickbats Umno is receiving from the opposition because of huge scandals. Indeed, an on-the-run Umno is fast losing ground to the opposition and the chances of Umno forming the next government is vanishing.

Even the Basement will not be there for Khairy if he doesn't act fast now.

Malaysia Chronicle