Azalina’s hidden agenda

A lucrative GLC deal compared to the run-of-the-mill Umno politics - the shrewd Azalina chose the obvious.

COMMENT

On Aug 22 former Puteri Umno head Azalina Othman Said announced that she was contesting the Wanita Umno chief post as she wanted to rejuvenate the movement.

“This is in line with Umno president (Datuk Seri) Najib Tun Razak’s drive to transform and revitalise Umno.

“If elected, I plan to bring some changes and approaches to the Wanita wing as I don’t want to see a tsunami of young people against Umno in the 14th general election.

“The party’s polls this time around is a healthy competition to ensure that Umno remains relevant to the Malays,” Azalina had said after being interviewed on BernamaTV’s Hello Malaysia programme.

She added that Umno needed new leaders to guide the younger generation to embrace the party’s struggles.

Azalina, the Pengerang MP and Umno division chief even rebutted claims that her intention to contest could cause a split in the party.

“Only those who are afraid and have lost faith and self confidence are negative when faced with a challenge,” said on a Faecbook posting on Aug 21, responding to claims by Shahrizat’s supporters that a contest for the No 1 post would disunite members.

Shahrizat had wrestled the Umno Wanita top post from her one-time boss Rafidah Aziz in 2009.

But 20 days after Azalina spoke of ‘rejuvenating’ Wanita Umno, the lawyer-turned-politician made an about turn, saying she was backing out of the coming Wanita Umno race.

The reason? A government-linked-company (GLC) top post carrot dangled by premier Najib in return for Shahrizat staying put as the Women Umno head.

Azalina’s hidden agenda

On the Facebook page “Azalina Othman Said for Wanita UMNO”, set up in July this year presumably in conjunction with her contest bid, Azalina, the former Youth and Sports Minister said she made her decision from the “advice” she received.

“Kpd semua kawan2, keputusan atas dinasihati. Tq,” she wrote. (Translation: To all my friends, decision made as advised. Thank you)

The so-called ‘advice’ was actually an offer by Najib for Azalina to head a GLC in lieu of her refusal to take Shahrizat on for the Wanita Umno top post.

Not only that, Azalina it seems would also be gunning for an Umno supreme council post.

A lucrative GLC deal compared to the run-of-the-mill Umno politics – the shrewd Azalina chose the obvious.

It is apparent that Azalina was never truly interested in rejuvenating or resuscitating Wanita Umno. She however was more interested in bringing Shahrizat down and working her way back into the folds of Putrajaya.

Had the ‘fate’ of Wanita Umno been Azalina’s agenda, she would have been appalled at the offer made by Najib for her to forgo her desire to challenge Shahrizat in return for an advantageous GLC deal.

Claims by Azalina supporters that she is a party loyalist and has Umno’s best interest at heart is simply gibberish, going by the fact that Azalina did not bat an eye in welcoming the pact devised by Najib.

If it was all about achieving a personal agenda, Azalina should not go about feigning care for the party. And neither should any other politician display a similar superficial concern for Umno and reflect disappointment over Azalina’s decision not to compete against Shahrizat.

Najib might assume he is on a win-win situation by having ‘thwarted’ Azalina’s plan to challenge Shahrizat but the premier forgets that the rakyat stands witness to all his machiavellian ways.

Najib keeps perpetuating cronyism

Wheeling and dealing and finally cutting a deal with Azalina that life would continue to be cosy if only she opted for the GLC ‘leadership’ offer continues to place Najib in a bad light.

The premier, notorious for his scheming ways of condoning nepotism and cronyism, while desperate to secure his own position within Umno, has no compunction in bribing fellow politicians to ease his ride in politics.

The fact that Najib is willing to make Azalina the head of a GLC says it all. It has never been Najib’s concern that his cronies are ill-experienced to head an organisation.

To the prime minister, it is all about his political survival. To that effect, all forms of ‘compromises’ are fair deal for Najib.

Two months ago, Najib drew flak when he chose handed the Tabung Haji leadership reign to Umno’s Putera Club head, Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim.

The MP for Baling became Najib’s favourite for the top post because of hos cozy relationship with Najib’s family as a ‘reward’ for Abdul Azeez’s ability to make embarassing issues for the rich and powerful disappear.

In fact, Abdul Azeez’s was the only name forwarded by Najib to Jamil Khir, the minister-in-charge of Islamic Affairs, to replace Abi Musa Mohamed, even though other names bandied about for the chairman’s post included that of Ismail Omar’s, the recently retired Inspector-General of Police.

According to the Malaysian Insider, premier Najib was likely to reward Umno politicians and warlords with positions in government-linked companies including Tabung Haji, Telekom Malaysia and Mara.

The decision to reward politicians with these positions was Najib’s way of avoiding any unhappiness and restlessness on the ground before it gathered momentum and posed a more serious challenge for the incumbent in Putrajaya.

Two months later history repeats itself, this time involving a former minister.

While the premier indulges in his crooked ways to ward off detractors, the damage he leaves in his path continues to rob the nation of a chance at healing, therapeutically that is.

Jeswan Kaur is a freelance writer and a FMT columnist.