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©New Sunday Times (Used by permission)
by David Yeow Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of Islamic Affairs Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is one of the top three nominated candidates in the historic nine-man race for Umno's three vice president posts. Zahid, who is also Perak Umno deputy chief, talks to DAVID YEOW about his chances, the generational shift in Umno's leadership and the recent regime change in Perak
Q: This is your first time contesting the Umno vice-president's post. Are you nervous about it?
A: I have been appointed as vice-president before, by virtue of being the Youth chief (1996 to 1998). But this time, the scenario is different. I am having mixed feelings about my chances.
A lot of my supporters from my youth days are now leaders at the party's divisional level. Our bond of brotherhood is still strong. So, I'm sure they would still lend me their support.
But there are nine people contesting the three vice-president posts. So, I won't say my chances are that steady. I'm trying my luck really.
Q: What would you be bringing to the table if you're elected Umno vice-president? What type of leader would the delegates be getting?
A: I want party members to consider this: I have been close to Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Najib Razak for a very long time. When Najib was the party Youth chief years ago, I was his political secretary. So I am familiar with how he works.
With Najib as our incoming party president, I will be in a position to assist him best because I understand him.
But my intention is not just to strengthen him as party president and future prime minister, but also to strengthen the party through the formation of a new presidential council.
I see myself as the president's man within that council who would be able to translate his vision and wishes into action. As one of the vice-presidents, I'll sit in two committees, the political bureau and the management committee. Both require men who are steadfast to the president and party and I am one such man.
I would also like to volunteer to be chairman of the training bureau, in order to cultivate the next generation of Umno leaders.
With my years of experience and knowledge, I am confident that I would be able to inject some new semangat perjuangan (fighting spirit) in our leaders at the grassroots, divisional and national levels as this "spirit" is waning due to many "intra-party problems".
Q: What is the "intra-party" problem faced by Umno now?
A: Within Umno, the intra-party problem is now bigger than inter-party problems. Before we can even face our political enemies, we have to settle our house first.
The intra-party problem is caused by the just finished Umno divisional elections. Some people feel hurt because they lost, while some of the winners who are new are not shy about showing off their power.
This has caused much turmoil and friction in the middle ranks of the party.
In any political party, such things are common. I hear it's happening in Pas and it's even worse in Parti Keadilan Rakyat and DAP. This is the truth, otherwise Hee Yit Foong (Jelapang assemblywoman) would not have joined us.
But compared with all of them, the problem within Umno at the divisional level is worse. It has to be resolved. If not, we will not be able to face the 13th general election effectively.
That is why, if I am made vice-president, I would be able to go down to the field and guide my grassroots colleagues. Not to victimise the losers, but to tell the losers to recognise the winners. To create synergy and cooperation between the winners and losers, which would ultimately strengthen the party.
The fact is, I am not a stranger to playing the role of mediator, both within Umno and outside the party.
I am quite well accepted even by the opposition parties, by Pas and PKR. I have personal contacts with many of their leaders. Not because of any political agenda, but because of genuine relationships.
Q: Name one thing that you would be able to contribute to Umno if you became vice-president?
A: Umno is currently regarded among the Malays as having pushed aside Islamic values and no longer championing religious issues. This is not true.
As the minister in charge of Islamic affairs in the Prime Minister's Department, I would be able to improve the religious image of Umno and enhance the practice of Islamic values within the party.
I would portray an image of Umno that proves we have not forgotten Islam. But, at the same time, we respect the rights of other religions.
Some political parties are claiming that they are more Islamic than Umno; this is not true.
Although Umno appears moderate, it is fundamentalist when it comes to Islam. That would be the new thing I would bring to Umno.
This is vital in getting the third generation of Malaysian voters to support Umno because the majority of the two million new voters at the next general election are not with us or Barisan Nasional.
Q: The Umno assembly and party elections are this month. And around the same time, there would be some campaigning needed for the two by-elections (Bukit Gantang in Perak and Bukit Selambau in Kedah). Are you able to separate your time and campaign for yourself, the party and Barisan Nasional, or would one eventually lose out?
A: I am trained as a manager. Before being in politics full time, I worked with a bank, Permodalan Nasional Berhad and the corporate sector.
The most important thing I learnt from them is time management.
So, in the coming month, there will always be time for family, time for politics, time for my department and time for by-elections.
You see, what party delegates want during party elections is the personal touch, meaning I definitely have to go down and meet them.
Besides wanting leaders who can work well together with the new president and deputy to strengthen the party, the delegates also want leaders who are able to make time and mix around with the divisional leaders and grassroots, to address their problems.
Q: You and three other vice-president candidates who got the most nominations (Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal and Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin) appear to be about the same age and experience. Is this a sign that a generational shift is taking place within Umno?
A: I am the oldest among all of the lot. I am 56. The others are probably in their late 40s and early 50s. While it is safe to say that they are of the new generation, I would consider myself as a bridge between the older generation and them.
There's no doubt that if three among the four of us are elected, we would be able to work really well together as we were all trained by Najib when he was Youth chief. We are the product of Najib's leadership.
Generational shifts, I think, are inevitable. Look at our component parties, MCA and Gerakan. Both have changed and younger leaders are now in charge.
Even the opposition is changing. Look at DAP. It's more or less Lim Guan Eng in charge. PKR has Azmin Ali as their vice-president and Pas has its deputy president, Nasharuddin Mat Isa. All of them are more or less our age.
So our members must accept the reality that chances must be given to younger leaders. The time has come for the younger leaders to play vital roles in the party in order to be accepted by the younger generation.
Q: You are among the three candidates who received the most nominations for the vice-president's post. Do you see this as a sign of a sure win?
A: Nominations mean nothing. All nine candidates have met the nomination quota needed to contest the post; so everyone is equal. As long as one gets more than 20 nominations, you deserve to be here.
In fact, being in the top three is like a trap sometimes because the delegates will think: "Oh, he's comfortable. So, we'll throw our support behind the other candidates."
So, it's not always a good thing.
Q: After the March 8 general election last year, there has been a lot of talk by Umno leaders that the party needs to reform, rejuvenate and restructure. It's almost a year since then and no concrete details have been seen. What type of changes do you think Umno needs in the post-March 8 environment?
A: First, we need to accept the fact that we live in a plural society. In order for the country to move forward, everyone must, too. We cannot address the problems of one ethnic group only.
Second, we need to focus on issues, especially those who live below the poverty line, regardless of their community or if they are from rural or urban areas. Their problems are the same and we must address them.
Third, we must be confident that the rights of Muslims are entrenched in the country's Constitution and accept the fact that other religions also have the right to be practised.
All of this will give Umno a new branding. A new branding that states: We are no longer a party for the Malays only, but one that champions all Malaysians.
Q: Are you saying that Umno currently does not accept that Malaysia is a plural society, has neglected the poor, is suspicious and feels threatened by other religions?
A: These are the perceptions of the voters and many Malaysians. It's the burden of being an ethnic-based party. But these are just perceptions. At the core of it, Umno is fine.
Even our component parties know this (that it is only an image problem) and have said many times at meetings that we must fix it together.
But, in reality, it is not happening due to problems created by the component members themselves.
The problem is that the component parties are also ethnic-based parties. So, every time we meet, they end up fighting for the rights of their own groups. But there must be an equilibrium point where we all agree to compromise.
The Malays have compromised on a lot of things and the non-Malays need to recognise this. They (component parties) must tell their people this.
The more we discuss this issue, the more problems it will create. All I can say is that Barisan Nasional needs to strengthen its cross-cultural understanding.
And while the component parties can play their roles, they must also realise that above any race, Malaysia must come first.
If any component party has any friction with Umno, they must bring it to us behind closed doors, not through the media.
Even the strongest marriages have their fair share of fights, but spouses shouldn't fight in front of the children, what more in public.
Q: You said that Umno's only setback is with its image. The Barisan Nasional's recent takeover of Perak led by Umno has left the Malaysian public with a bad taste in their mouths. Many have slammed Umno's move in Perak as unethical and robbing the locals of their democratic right. As Perak Umno deputy chief, how do you respond to such accusations?
A: You mentioned ethics. So, let me ask you this. Where was the public outcry when opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim approached our BN leaders to join Pakatan Rakyat and form a new Federal Government? Was that an ethical approach?
When good things happen to the opposition, like when someone crosses over to their side, they always say that "there is no such thing as ethics, it's just politics".
But when good things happen to the BN, like the return of a state, they (opposition) then shout at us and say what we did was unethical. Is this fair?
When Anwar boasted about his "September 16" takeover agenda, did the public question whether it was ethical for BN members of parliament to disobey the electorate and cross over? I don't think so.
So, now, when good things are happening to BN in Perak, why do people start using the words "unethical" and "unfair" again?
So let me tell them this: There was nothing unethical about Perak. It was just politics!
The opposition has to accept the reality that it wasn't Umno which invited the three assemblymen to cross over. The problem was created by them.
The way the opposition treated the three politicians was the push factor that made them approach us.
When everything calms down, you can ask the three politicians how their parties treated them and they will tell you the same story.
Q: But two of the three lawmakers who crossed over have ongoing corruption charges against them in courts. If Umno, as you said, has been suffering from image problems, wouldn't this be another nail in the coffin?
A: If the courts find them guilty, then by-elections would take place. They are not Umno members yet. They are independents. What the public must remember is that the accusation of their corruption was made when they were with PKR.
When the trial started, PKR leaders still stood by them, claiming they were innocent until proven guilty.
So, why now, when they come over to our side, are they suddenly called "corrupt people" by the opposition -- the same people who stood by them for so long?
PKR is the one which has the image problem here, not us.
Q: With all that has happened, what do you think are Umno's chances in the Bukit Gantang by-election?
A: Winnable. No doubt we have to face the public backlash over the recent change in power in the state, but we will face it.
Traditionally, Bukit Gantang has been Umno's seat. If we work hard and smart, we can win it back.
I will also be on the ground to explain to the public, just like in this interview.
As Perak Umno's No. 2, I will fight tooth and nail to win back the seat.
Q: Speaking of No. 2, traditionally the vice-president's post is a stepping stone to the deputy president and ultimately the party president's post. Do you have such plans?
A: I am not ambitious. I will stay where I have to stay. As long as the delegates want me to be in the vice-president's post, I will stay there.
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