KUALA LUMPUR: Kedah is on the radar screen of the Barisan Nasional which is cranking up the election machinery to recapture the state. It feels the Pakatan Rakyat-ruled state is ripe for the picking.
It appears that BN leaders led by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak are getting favourable feedback from the state BN leaders, especially division heads, on the situation there.
Najib would have also weighed the positive feedback given by the state liaison chief Shafie Apdal, a Sabahan who won the Umno vice-presidency in last year’s party election.
Parachuted into Kedah by the top party leaders, and in the process sidelining former menteri besar and Umno liaison chief Mahadzir Khalid, Shafie is not a new face in the state as he is married to the daughter of one of the state leaders.
But unfortunately, the situation in Kedah is rather grim. Although Shafie is a minister (of Rural and Regional Development), he seems to have no control of the 15 divisions in the state.
Kedah Umno is known for its “little warlords” -- division heads who call the shots when it comes to deciding who should be the leader and who to give the “cold shoulder” although the leader is chosen by the top party bosses.
Retaking Kedah is not impossible for BN but it can be an uphill task given that the division chiefs are not working in “tandem or cooperating” much with Shafie.
Ever since Shafie took over the reins last year, rumbles of discontent have been heard about him: many have complained that he seldom holds meeting and has often given the local leaders the short shrift if he doesn't like them.
Second fiddle
Besides, these “warlords” do not like playing second fiddle to Shafie whom many regard as an outsider who does not know the true situation on the ground.
There are also murmurs of disappointment over the appointment of Ahmad Basha Hanifah as the state deputy liaison chief. Many of the division chiefs do not look up to Ahmad Basha as their leader.
Some division chiefs have said that while Najib wanted to reunite and strengthen the state Umno, he had forgotten or ignored the true situation on the ground where division chiefs should be consulted before choosing a liaison head.
“Although it is the party president’s choice, at the very least he should know what he wants. Does he want to win the state back and allow the leader chosen to become the menteri besar or does he want to take the state back first and then start choosing who should be the menteri besar?” said a division chief.
“At present, the situation is serious as the division heads are split into three factions. Some are for Shafie, some support Mukhriz Dr Mahathir and some back Mahadzir.
“Given this scenario, unity is impossible. If there's disunity, how can the BN face its opponents in the next round?” he said.
“Although Mukhriz and Mahadzir tried hard to unite their supporters, things do not work out in that manner.
“Kedah Umno chiefs have their own minds. Look at former menteri besar Sanusi Junid. He was Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s man, and yet the warlords boycotted him,” the division chief added.
Rethink strategy
Kedah Umno is also cash-strapped. “The division chiefs try to fork out money from their own pockets, but they have little funds since they have no projects,” said a deputy division chief who is finding it difficult to conduct party activities with little or no funds.
“It is no point relying on patronage. Division chiefs need large infusion of funds to organise various activities. If they don't hold such activities, they will not be able to ‘touch base’ with its members or voters,” he added.
He said Kedah Menteri Besar Azizan Abdul Razak (PAS-Sungai Lima) is not a good administrator and as a result, there are no major developments in store for the people.
However, he said it is not easy for BN to capitalise on Azizan's weak leadership because BN itself does not have the right leader to show the way in the next general election.
Another division chief said Najib must rethink his strategy. “If he wants to win the state, he has to choose someone from the state to lead and give him at least two years to earn the confidence of the division chiefs. Once unity is achieved, BN will stand a better chance of winning.
“If BN captures the state, the person chosen must be made the menteri besar,” he said.
Pakatan Rakyat may be in turmoil in Selangor but in Kedah, it is is strong. Kedah Umno needs to do a lot of spadework to stay fit enough to retake the state.
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