UPSTART GETS UMNO UPTIGHT

COMMENTARY

OCT 9 — Datuk Nur Jazlan’s bold bid for the Umno No. 2 post has got his party elders uptight.

Umno-linked TV3 cancelled an interview with the Pulai division chief two days ago as it joined the rest of the party-owned media in reporting his “struggle” to fend off a challenge by his deputy for his current position.

The two-term Pulai MP has had a good run in the local press and also with the online media after his shock announcement to vie for Umno’s deputy presidency, which carries with it the deputy prime minister’s post. TV3 had a phone-in interview with him on Sunday night while local newspapers splashed the news with commentaries and analyses.

He even had a Utusan Malaysia "Senyum Kambing" cartoon about his ambition to be the Umno deputy president.

However, senior party officials greeted his announcement in disbelief and dismissed him as a party lightweight out to make a name for himself for a seat in the party supreme council. They together with several commentators had cited his age and lack of experience in national politics as reasons for him to be realistic of his place in the party.

"There is a Malay proverb which goes like this: Ukur baju di badan sendiri," New Straits Times political writer Zubaidah Abu Bakar wrote on Monday, echoing the view of politicians and observers across the country on Nur Jazlan's tilt at the senior post.

Others were not that kind. Former party president and Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said apart from Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who has yet to announce his bid, the others contesting the post were "jokers".

Perlis Umno liaison chief Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim said: "There are too many candidates for the post... this is not a place for any Tom, Dick and Harry", while his Pahang Umno counterpart Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob warned that having too many candidates might give the public the impression that members were power crazy.

Their initial comments have now given way to a concerted campaign to highlight Nur Jazlan's chances of retaining his division from his deputy Datuk Omar Sapian, who told TV3 that there was a difference between running a division and a party, let alone the country.

But the 42-year-old chartered accountant and his allies are undeterred. State party elders had tried to block his nomination in the 2004 general election but Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had insisted his candidacy then and also retained him for the 2008 polls.

"They can only attack his age and lack of experience but not his ideas," a close associate of Nur Jazlan told The Malaysian Insider.

The associate said Nur Jazlan is not campaigning but has received encouraging response particularly from outside the party. His website http://www.jazlan.net/ has also seen increasing hits as those curious about the politician surf the web in search of information.

"The Umno seniors are out of touch. They can blank him out in the mainstream media but the young ones only rely on the Internet. They haven't learnt from their losses on March 8.

"This is why Nur Jazlan is making his bid now. It’s not about getting power today but for Umno to remain relevant and keep up with the times," he added.

When contacted, Nur Jazlan was nonplussed about the lack of media spotlight. "I don't know what the fuss is about. I just declared my bid. I am not a candidate yet as there have been no nominations," he said, adding he was amused by the shrill opposition to his candidacy even as nominations start this week.

Umno divisional meetings begin tomorrow with the first two in Kimanis and Machang. - TMI