By Noor Hayati Muda
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 14 (Bernama) -- As the end of 2009 draws nearer, Umno looks set to close the year on a stronger note following a successful power transition and party elections back in March.
It was quite a turnaround for the biggest Malay political party in the country which some political analysts and observers predicted would crumble following the disastrous results in the March 2008 general election.
Bouncing back on its feet, Umno owed its newly-found confidence to forge ahead following that political tsunami to former president Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his successor Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
Abdullah's willingness to expedite the power transition between him and Najib which originally was scheduled for June next year to this year helped soothe ruffled feathers among Umno members and pave the way for its new leadership to plan reforms.
Officially passing the presidency baton to his then deputy on March 28, Abdullah in his last speech as president at the end of the last day of the party's general assembly called on Umno members to close ranks and to forgive and forget.
Meanwhile, Najib who was aware of the party's urgent need for a new lease of life, vowed in front of some 2,000 party delegates to transform Umno and lead them back into the arms of the people.
In his acceptance speech, the seventh Umno president proposed an amendment to the party constitution aimed at curbing money politics in the party as well as making Umno more inclusive.
His speech was well received by delegates as well as Umno's influential former leader Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who made a surprise appearance at the end of the last day of the assembly.
The former Umno president who had been shunning previous assemblies before and eventually quitting the party on May 19, 2008, was also instrumental in bringing about changes in the party leadership with his constant criticism against previous leaders.
In its election three days earlier, Umno saw a change of leadership in all three wings while political pundits won big in their prediction for top posts contests.
As predicted, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin triumphed over Tan Sri Muhammad Muhamad Taib for the deputy president post while the favourites for the vice-president posts -- Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein and Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal were all returned. There are three vice president posts in Umno.
The election also saw the end of Datuk Seri (now Tan Sri) Rafidah Aziz's reign as Wanita chief when she was defeated by her former deputy Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil with a 227-vote majority.
However, the Youth movement sprang a surprise when its controversial candidate for the chief post Khairy Jamaluddin upset favourite Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir and another candidate Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo, while Puteri members elected Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin as their new leader.
Meanwhile, Dr Mahathir gave his blessings to the new leadership by applying to rejoin Umno on April 4, a move seen by political analysts would further strengthen the party.
In his effort to strengthen Umno at the states level, Najib made an unconventional move by appointing several top leaders to head state liaison committees instead of the usual Menteri Besar or Opposition Leader in the case of Penang, Selangor, Kelantan and Kedah.
It was seen by political observers as a step to resolve internal conflicts in several states such as Kedah, Perlis and Terengganu.
Seven months after the party election, Umno delegates once again congregated at Merdeka Hall, Putra World Trade Centre, and this time to debate and endorse seven amendments to the party's constitution.
In a clear show of a commitment to change, all of the amendments which included the abolishing of the party's nomination quota system and increasing the number of delegates to vote for top party posts, were accepted unanimously without debate.
Although some expressed concern that abolishing of the nomination quota system would enable every Tom, Dick and Harry to contest for the top posts, Najib in his winding up speech at the end of the assembly pointed out that such a move would motivate present leaders to work even harder to ensure they would remain favourites among members.
"I'm not worried I might lose this post for it is up to the members to decide if I'm worthy of their vote. If I'm a good president, able to serve well, I'm sure party members will make the right decision," he had said.
With more than 400,000 members now able to choose their leaders compared to merely 2,500 previously, Umno is confident money politics in the party will be eliminated eventually.
Although some of these reforms are yet to be implemented, Umno members seem content under the new leadership as the respective leaders go about their duties to bring changes in the party.
All in all Umno now appears to be heading towards the light at the end of the tunnel.
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 14 (Bernama) -- As the end of 2009 draws nearer, Umno looks set to close the year on a stronger note following a successful power transition and party elections back in March.
It was quite a turnaround for the biggest Malay political party in the country which some political analysts and observers predicted would crumble following the disastrous results in the March 2008 general election.
Bouncing back on its feet, Umno owed its newly-found confidence to forge ahead following that political tsunami to former president Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his successor Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
Abdullah's willingness to expedite the power transition between him and Najib which originally was scheduled for June next year to this year helped soothe ruffled feathers among Umno members and pave the way for its new leadership to plan reforms.
Officially passing the presidency baton to his then deputy on March 28, Abdullah in his last speech as president at the end of the last day of the party's general assembly called on Umno members to close ranks and to forgive and forget.
Meanwhile, Najib who was aware of the party's urgent need for a new lease of life, vowed in front of some 2,000 party delegates to transform Umno and lead them back into the arms of the people.
In his acceptance speech, the seventh Umno president proposed an amendment to the party constitution aimed at curbing money politics in the party as well as making Umno more inclusive.
His speech was well received by delegates as well as Umno's influential former leader Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who made a surprise appearance at the end of the last day of the assembly.
The former Umno president who had been shunning previous assemblies before and eventually quitting the party on May 19, 2008, was also instrumental in bringing about changes in the party leadership with his constant criticism against previous leaders.
In its election three days earlier, Umno saw a change of leadership in all three wings while political pundits won big in their prediction for top posts contests.
As predicted, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin triumphed over Tan Sri Muhammad Muhamad Taib for the deputy president post while the favourites for the vice-president posts -- Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein and Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal were all returned. There are three vice president posts in Umno.
The election also saw the end of Datuk Seri (now Tan Sri) Rafidah Aziz's reign as Wanita chief when she was defeated by her former deputy Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil with a 227-vote majority.
However, the Youth movement sprang a surprise when its controversial candidate for the chief post Khairy Jamaluddin upset favourite Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir and another candidate Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo, while Puteri members elected Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin as their new leader.
Meanwhile, Dr Mahathir gave his blessings to the new leadership by applying to rejoin Umno on April 4, a move seen by political analysts would further strengthen the party.
In his effort to strengthen Umno at the states level, Najib made an unconventional move by appointing several top leaders to head state liaison committees instead of the usual Menteri Besar or Opposition Leader in the case of Penang, Selangor, Kelantan and Kedah.
It was seen by political observers as a step to resolve internal conflicts in several states such as Kedah, Perlis and Terengganu.
Seven months after the party election, Umno delegates once again congregated at Merdeka Hall, Putra World Trade Centre, and this time to debate and endorse seven amendments to the party's constitution.
In a clear show of a commitment to change, all of the amendments which included the abolishing of the party's nomination quota system and increasing the number of delegates to vote for top party posts, were accepted unanimously without debate.
Although some expressed concern that abolishing of the nomination quota system would enable every Tom, Dick and Harry to contest for the top posts, Najib in his winding up speech at the end of the assembly pointed out that such a move would motivate present leaders to work even harder to ensure they would remain favourites among members.
"I'm not worried I might lose this post for it is up to the members to decide if I'm worthy of their vote. If I'm a good president, able to serve well, I'm sure party members will make the right decision," he had said.
With more than 400,000 members now able to choose their leaders compared to merely 2,500 previously, Umno is confident money politics in the party will be eliminated eventually.
Although some of these reforms are yet to be implemented, Umno members seem content under the new leadership as the respective leaders go about their duties to bring changes in the party.
All in all Umno now appears to be heading towards the light at the end of the tunnel.
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