Youth chief blamed for rise of right-wing groups

Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin's failure in upholding Malay interests has resulted in the rise of Malay pressure groups outside the party, his contender Syed Rosli Syed Harman Jamallulail charges.

He said these groups had to takeover Umno Youth's role as champions of the Malays since Khairy was not willing to do so.

"When he (Khairy) joined (Umno Youth), he had ideologies that appeared to be liberal.

"He failed to lead and defend the rights of the Malays, monarchy and Islam.

"Therefore these Malay NGOs sprouted and some of them seem even more popular than Umno," Syed Rosli (right) told a press conference at Ampang this afternoon.

Since the 2008 polls where the ruling coalition's dominance was severely eroded, several Malay pressure groups emerged, the most notable being Perkasa.

Syed Rosli said Umno Youth now required a new and courageous leader who dares to return the youth wing to its original roots.

'Yep, I'm the one'
"So Umno Youth now requires a revolution and to start this revolution we need someone who is courageous.

"I believe I am courageous enough as I am merely a normal member but I am prepared to take on a cabinet minister in the hope of making Umno Youth more relevant and respected," he said.

Khairy, who is youth and sports minister, is fending off challenges to his Umno Youth chief post.

Others eyeing his post are Bendang Baru Umno Youth branch chief Akhramsyah Muammar Ubaidah Sanusi, fomrer Merbok Umno Youth division chief Abd Karim Ali and Bukit Setiawangsa Umno Youth chief Irwan Ambak Khalid Izhar.

Aside from Syed Rosli, Khairy's other rivals have also stepped up their assaults on his moderate image, branding him a liberal and out of touch in a race-based party.

Ahkramsyah (right) was quoted as saying in the Berita Harian today that he was contesting for the Umno Youth top post because he found Khairy's liberal methods to be unacceptable.

However, even though Syed Rosli ,too, shares the same anti-Khairy gripes, he insists that he's the best among the five contenders to be the new Umno Youth chief.

Syed Rosli said the other challengers did not come from humble beginnings and therefore would not understand the needs of the man in the street like he would.

"Akhramsyah did not have a difficult life; Irwan is the nephew of Pak Lah (former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi).

"How are they going to fight for the common man if they do not understand their difficulties" he said.