KUALA LUMPUR: Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaludin today disagreed with former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad, perhaps his number one enemy, that Najib's 1Malaysia concept is a failure.
Mahathir had said that Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak must clear the shrouds surrounding his 1Malaysia clarion call, saying the concept has not reached voters well and could be susceptible to manipulation by other races.
However Khairy reasoned that it would take longer for Najib's one-year-old administration to dilute the idea among the electorate but contended that the all-encompassing idea has sat well with many, if not all, Malaysians.
The 1Malaysia idea, meant to unite and regain the nation's moderate image after decades of racial politics have divided the nation, was introduced shortly after Najib took office on April 3 last year.
"No I don't agree with him (Mahathir) because every government campaign needs constant and consistent messaging and communications to the public.
"But to say that the public do not understand it is incorrect," he told a press conference at the party's headquarters here.
Khairy, who is also the first-term Rembau MP and the son-in-law of former premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, believed the 1Malaysia idea is comprehensive and that the voters can grasp the policies behind the idea.
Mahathir argued that the idea had failed to unite the country and came amid shocking revelation by an opinion poll centre that Najib's 1Malaysia was considered to be a mere political gimmick by majority of the nation's non-Malay electorate.
“I have spoken to the Chinese, the Malays, each person has different opinions and cannot be united. I feel that an explanation is needed,” Dr Mahathir had said, adding that the onus was on Najib to ensure that his 1 Malaysia is understood by all.
Well accepted by all
But Khairy disagreed, saying the idea is well accepted by the public.
"I think that people understand it and the general understanding of it can get higher," he said.
Despite his position, the Umno youth chief currently holds no post in Najib's Cabinet as a result of what political observers believe to be Mahathir's influence in Umno and the government.
Mahathir's attacks against Abdullah, his handpicked successor, had almost crippled Umno. Many party leaders felt Mahathir played a major role in Barisan Nasional's pathetic electoral performance in the 2008 general election.
The enmity between the two started after the latter began scrapping unfinished projects started by Mahathir and Khairy was subject to merciless virulence when he was accused as the main string-puller in the Abdullah government.
Fearing the potential damage of another "Dr Mahathir episode" had forced Najib to shun Khairy out of his Cabinet line-up, a repeat of what had transpired in the past when current Umno vice-president Zahid Hamidi was not appointed as minister when he was the Youth chief.
Khairy has avoided triggering another potential explosive spat with Mahathir, remaining quiet despite the ongoing assault by the former premier.
His statement today may just trigger Mahathir's wrath towards him and pundits believe the Najib administration may suffer the most should this happen.
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