Early transition date?

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 25 — Will the special Umno supreme council (MT) meeting tomorrow decide to set an early power transition date between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his deputy Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak or discuss more effective ways to strengthen the party?

The former was the question uppermost among politicians and political observers soon after it was made public that Umno would convene an MT meeting at 10am tomorrow at the party's headquarters here.

Over the last two days, the political rumour mill has been going on overdrive, with speculation that the nation's top two leaders were involved in "re-brokering" the transition date originally set for June 2010, which some say had caused dissatisfaction among Umno members aligned to some leaders.

The two leaders had earlier agreed that Abdullah would transfer power to Najib by June 2010, but this was seen by some segments in Umno as being too long, especially with the largest political party in the country holding its party polls in December this year.

The first signs of dissent was evident after Abdullah on Sept 17 made a public announcement that he did not rule out an early handover of power and was swapping his Finance Minister portfolio with Najib's defence portfolio.

Political observers interpreted this move that the handover of power would come sooner than 2010, with some predicting that it could even come as soon as December, this year.

Speculation picked up steam yesterday evening after the Deputy Prime Minister's office in a statement said that Najib had cancelled his trip to New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly from today till Oct 1.

This was followed by a series of "secret" meetings between the two leaders and their supporters, and speculation was rife that an agreement on the transition was reached late last night after both parties agreed on a deadline for the power transfer.

Midnight yesterday, calls and short-message-system (sms) were aplenty predicting that an early transition date had been set and that it could be a year earlier than the 2010 original date.

This speculation was further strengthened when news leaked that Abdullah and Najib were huddled in a meeting at the Prime Minister Office in Putrajaya this morning, which was neither denied nor confirned by Najib when met by newsmen later in the day and was only willing to say, "I always meet the Prime Minister".

There is also speculation that the December polls would be postponed to June 2009 to ensure a smooth transfer of power and minimise internal politicking.

"We are expecting something positive to come out tomorrow at the meeting," a party insider said.

"It would be a win-win situation between those calling for an immediate hand over and those wanting to stick to the original date (June 2010)," he added.

He also pointed out that the two top leaders did not want to announce the decision before obtaining the endorsement of the all powerful MT, the party's highest decision making body.

"They do not want to repeat the mistake...the last time they reached a deal, there were grouses that it should have been the MT and members that decided the handover date and not the two men. They can only propose but the MT must endorse and members must accept it ," a party source said.

This latest speculated proposal, if accepted by the MT, would help avoid a bitter power struggle in the party, which Umno, the backbone of the ruling Barisan Nasional, can ill afford especially after the coalition was battered in the March 8 general election.

Another indication that something "big" is on the cards was Najib refusal to answer any political questions at a press conference at the Finance Ministry this afternoon.

He only confirmed that a special UMNO MT meeting would be held tomorrow at Menara Dato' Onn.

"Any political questions will only be answered tomorrow," he said in reply to a question on the speculation that the Umno polls would be postponed until next year.

Such was the sensitivity of the issue at hand that top Umno leaders politely refused to divulge details of the latest party transition plans.

While the nation waits in anticipation over the next 24-hours, it can be assured that the top two leaders would do what is right for the country and its people. — Bernam