Mukhriz Mahathir: Will he? Won't he?

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  It seems there's a 'big move' to get Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir to vie for the Umno vice presidency.

IT seems there's a "big move" to get Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir to vie for the Umno vice presidency.

 

Said an Umno insider:"I wouldn't say there's a movement. But there certainly is great effort to pressure, so to speak, Mukhriz to take a shot at the VP slot." And the "pressure" is exerted by supporters of the Kedah menteri besar.

 

"His supporters want him to contest naib presiden. Their campaign line is Umno needs new blood, young leaders," said the insider. But the man himself is said to be undecided and still mulling the idea.

 

Years ago, there was something called the "Menteri Besar Club" factor in Umno elections. It was a pack actually, "invincible" and unofficial'. Something not cast in stone.

 

Anyway under the MB Club pact, all menteris besar from Umno would decide the one among them who should go for the vice presidency. Once decided, all menteris besar would throw their weight behind the candidate of choice using all their resources to ensure victory. 

 

But the MB Club is no more in existence in the party. Not long ago there was talk of a "revival" but nothing came out of it. Therefore to state the obvious, Mukhriz, should he decide to contest the VP race, will not have the advantage of being supported by a powerful political pact. 

 

Still supporters are saying he can bank on the reputation of his father. Dad is none other than Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, former PM, former Umno president.

 

"Yes Tun is still influential in Umno and respected even in government. Definitely the Mukhriz campaign team will use that," said the Umno insider who is quick to add: "When Mukhriz contested the Ketua Pemuda position in 2009, he came in third behind (the winner) Khairy Jamaluddin and (Datuk Seri) Khir Toyo .

 

At that time, anti Pak Lah sentiment was high in Umno following the dismay performance of the BN in the 2008 general election. Mahathir was hitting Pak Lah really hard as well as whacking Khairy who is Pak Lah's son in law.

 

In not so many words, what the insider is driving at is this. Even at a time when many in Umno were listening and taken up by Mahathir's onslaught against then PM and president (Tun) Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Mukhriz cannot or rather did not win. And cannot better former Selangor MB Khir Toyo. 

 

"So this," said the inside, "Mukhriz must take into consideration in making his decision with regards to the VP contest," while admitting that many in Umno still listen to Mahathir.

 

Whether Mahathir will campaign directly for his son is open to speculation. The fomer Umno president has not commented on the possibility of his son contesting. At least not in public although detractors "believe" Mahathir  wants his son to be one of the vice presidents of  the party he led for 22 long years.

 

The Mahathir factor apart, supporters of Mukhriz say the Mukhriz who lost the Umno youth fight in 2009 and the Mukhriz now is different. The Mukhriz now, they say,  is more politically matured compared to four years ago and has won the May 5 general election.  

 

And should he contest, he is stepping into the ring as a powerful force by virtue of being a menteri besar and that of a state wrested from PAS.

 

"Yes BN or Umno won back Kedah but Muhkriz cannot be fully credited for the victory. While not taking anything away from  Kedah Umno who worked very hard, we wrested the state more because of the weaknesses of the PAS government then, " said the insider.

 

Current incumbents – Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi,  Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein and Datuk Seri Shafei Apdal – have all said they will defend their vice president posts. Former Negeri Sembilan MB Tan Sri Isa Samad has also announced his intention to vie for the post. 

 

The latest to join the fray is Datuk Seri AIi Rustam, the former Melaka chief minister, thus leaving Sabah CM Datuk Seri Musa Aman still undecided despite strong urging from his supporters to go for it. And of course there's Mukhriz, in a very similar situation.

 

Perhaps Musa and Mukhriz are asking themselves this: "To contest or not to contest." Musa as many an Umno member tells us, has many "strengths and advantages". But unlike Musa, Mukhriz has dad to help him decide.

 

 

Mohsin Abdullahis a specialist writer atfz.com. He likes rojak. Andnasi campur. And durians. Perhaps that’s why he writes about this, that and everything else. Pretty much rojak andnasi campur. As for his writings, well, they can be like durians. Aromatic and delicious to some people, smelly and off-putting to others.