KOMENTAR
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 19 - Apart from showing Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi a quick exit, Umno ultras want early party polls to keep their grip on power in party and government while reversing possible reforms in the judiciary and investigative services.
Leading the charge is deputy presidential frontrunner Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin who feels a drawn-out election campaign can sap his momentum and give an advantage to Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam in what could be a wildly unpredictable race to be the party number 2.
Mohd Ali, with three nominations like fellow contestant Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib, is seen as a more credible challenger and could qualify despite Muhyiddin's 38 nominations thus far.
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin"Muhyiddin is worried about Ali Rustam and his Umno network because if he qualifies, the long campaign period will work to his advantage," an Umno division leader told The Malaysian Insider.
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin"Muhyiddin is worried about Ali Rustam and his Umno network because if he qualifies, the long campaign period will work to his advantage," an Umno division leader told The Malaysian Insider.
The Malacca chief minister is said to be tapping his Malaysian Youth Council and 4B Youth network, which he once led, to garner nominations from the remaining 140-odd divisions meetings until Nov 9.
"Ali Rustam's chances are slim but he is going all out to get the nominations. Its his last chance to be in power because the new leadership will reward their people and cull the rest," a party insider said.
Abdullah himself has criticised moves to stop Mohd Ali from contesting the post. "I hear that there was an attempt by someone to ask Ali Rustam to withdraw...Why ask Ali to withdraw? What is bad about Ali?
"Let him contest and let Umno people decide whether they want Ali or otherwise," he said yesterday.
Party observers have cited Mohd Ali's lack of proficiency in English as a drawback citing the example of former deputy premier Tun Ghafar Baba's poor English skills.
That's rich coming from Umno. After all, aren't they championing Bahasa Malaysia instead of English," a supporter of Mohd Ali told The Malaysian Insider.
Apart from party politics, several Umno politicians said the ultras, including former party president Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, want to stop Abdullah from pushing reforms in the judiciary and investigative services.
Dr Mahathir, a trenchant critic of Abdullah, yesterday joined Muhyiddin in calling to bring the party polls back to December from next March
"I agree with Tan Sri Muhyiddin (Yassin), there is no need for an additional three months, what can Abdullah do in three months? I don't think he can do anything," he said.
"No need for delay, we need time to rehabilitate BN, we only have four years to do that, or else we are going to lose the next election," Dr Mahathir said.
What was left unsaid is the acerbic strongman's and other Umno politicians' opposition to proposal laws on a judicial appointments commission that is seen to loosen Malay supremacy over the judiciary.
"The Cabinet has been resisting that piece of legislation and it won't be easy for Abdullah to get it approved or even tabled. His best chance is to work with other BN component parties and Pakatan Rakyat to get it through," a government source said.
"The ultras know this so they have to make sure Abdullah is out of the picture sooner than later," he added.
The 68-year-old prime minister, who has been battling calls to quit after the March 8 polls, has promised to push through legislations to reform the judiciary, anti-corruption agency and a commission to investigate complaints against security services before he leaves office.
He will have a few weeks after the Budget debate ends on Dec 11 and possibly next March to get the laws approved before handing over to Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak, his presumptous heir in a Barisan Nasional government.
The opposition Pakatan Rakyat led by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim have threated to unseat Abdullah's government but have yet to show the numbers to do so, with only 81 seats in the 222-seat parliament. BN has 138 seats, having lost two when the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) left the ruling coalition last month. -- MI
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