Unpopular candidates ready to step down

A number of elected representatives have heeded the Umno president's call to make way for the 13th general election.

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KUALA LUMPUR: Umno president Najib Razak said today that a number of elected representatives are ready to step down to ensure the party wins big come the 13th general election.

The sacrifices signalled the members’ readiness to answer his call for “unpopular” candidates to do what is necessary to improve Umno dismal performance in the 2008 polls.

Najib has made it clear in his policy speech at Umno’s 62th annual general assembly here that only “winnable candidates” would be selected as part of his grand effort to transform the party.

This means Umno will be reviewing its pool of candidates where fresh faces will be fielded.

“Some have seen me personally (on this matter) but I don’t have to say who.

“The wakil rakyat have said they want to make way for new faces,” Najib told a press conference at the end of the general assembly.

He added that Umno is now gauging the record of the incumbents and those who perform will be given another a chance to serve.

“When we talk about winnable candidates, we did not say that it is (to serve) for two or three terms before being replaced. The principle is that the person is a winnable candidate,” he said.

Will Shahrizat be dropped?

But observers say Najib’s “winnable candidate” policy leaves much to be desired as far as his transformation initiative is concerned.

The tactic could mean Umno would still rely on popular “warlords” instead of quality candidates. Najib has pinned his hope on the latter in his attempt to re-brand the Malay party as progressive.

The prime minister refused to comment if this meant dropping Wanita Umno chief Shahrizat Abdul Jalil who is embroiled in a multi-million-ringgit scandal that some Umno delegates feel was a liability to the party’s election mission.

“We know how to handle it,” Najib said when asked if the women, family, and community development minister would be dropped as part of his “winnable candidate” strategy.

But he remains confident that Umno can muster support to regain states lost to Pakatan Rakyat.

“We do have a good chance to take over the opposition-led states. I am confident we can win but I don’t want to underrate the opposition.”