Mukhriz openly goes for Khairy

Mukhriz openly goes for Khairy

(MalaysianInsider) KUALA LUMPUR, May 28 — Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir has upped the ante in his cold war with Khairy Jamaludin, publicly blaming the number two in Umno Youth for Barisan Nasional’s poor performance in Election 2008 and suggesting that he had no place in the ruling party unless he changes his style.

This is the first time that the youth wing politician has openly criticised Khairy. If the son-in-law of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi hits back against the youngest son of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, it could set off a full scale proxy war between the two MPs.

It is unlikely that Khairy will enter the fray, knowing that he does not have much goodwill outside the youth wing to fall back on. Also, perception is stronger than reality and in the eyes of many Malaysians, he is everything and more of what his critics say about him.

In an interview with Agenda Daily, Mukhriz said that one of the reasons for the poor performance of BN was the perception of nepotism in the government and interference of Abdullah’s family and advisers in the policy-making.

"This perception will be hard to erase if these people are still around. This is not limited to one person only, it involves the Fourth Floor and others," he said, using the moniker associated with Abdullah’s team of officials.

He also blamed Khairy for the lack of sting in Umno Youth. In the past, he noted, the youth wing acted as a pressure group in the party, keeping the leadership in check.

But it had become meek. "Among the reasons is that we have a deputy chief who is the son-in-law of the PM. In the past, there was a lot of debate during exco meetings, now we just endorse. I mean sometimes people raise different views but when the number two gives the signal, we just follow," he said.

These comments will challenge the impression that Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein is the undisputed head of Umno Youth and upset the Education Minister who has taken credit for turning the youth wing into a more rational and thinking organisation.

Mukhriz has stated openly that he will be contesting the number one position in Umno Youth while Khairy is likely to give it a pass despite being popular among exco members and most of the state Umno Youth chiefs.

Khairy knows that he is viewed negatively by many older Umno members who think that he is too ambitious and arrogant. Any move by him to reach for the number one position in Umno Youth could anger division chiefs and other party brokers and hurt Abdullah.

Similarly, any move by him to hit back at Mukhriz will put him and all his faults right back in the spotlight, something he cannot afford with his reservoir of goodwill in the party still hovering near the danger level.