Joceline Tan Lines drawn for do or die battle

INSIGHT
By JOCELINE TAN

Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz and Datuk Seri Shahrizat Jalil will face off in the high-stakes contest for the Wanita Umno leadership. Whoever loses is finished politically.

THE last time that Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz and Datuk Seri Shahrizat Jalil met was a fortnight ago, after an acrimonious Wanita Umno exco meeting.

The Wanita Umno leader and her deputy were still smiling, though not at each other, and it was clear as daylight that things had gone seriously wrong between them.

Rafidah looked combative and she dominated the press conference as only she could.

Shahrizat, who was beside her, seemed overwhelmed, even defeated, but she was boiling with anger inside after being thrashed by Rafidah’s loyalists in the meeting. It was sheer decorum that stopped her from exploding.

It was a turning point for her and that night, after going through the deluge of text messages from her political supporters and friends, she decided she was not going to take things lying down.

On Thursday, she announced in a brief press statement that she would challenge Rafidah for the top Wanita Umno post. The next day, Rafidah announced she would defend her post, also in a press statement.

The contest for the leadership of Wanita Umno is on. When the two ladies next meet, it will be a face-off between adversaries.

The announcement could not have been sooner for Shahrizat’s supporters.

“It’s about time and I feel jubilant,” said Wanita permanent chairman Tan Sri Napsiah Omar who has had her ups and downs with Rafidah over the years.

The Wanita Umno ground had moved for Shahrizat by giving her 73 nominations for the No. 1 post as well as 102 for the No. 2 post.

Open support

Earlier this week in Penang, Tanjong Wanita chief Norjan Abdul Hamid led a group of 10 Wanita division chiefs to voice support for Shahrizat. The “Gang of 10” created a stir because it was the first time a group had come out this way.

Since then, more Wanita Umno division chiefs have openly supported Shahrizat to take over in March instead of June. They include 22 out of 24 divisions in Rafidah’s home state of Perak, 18 out of 25 in Sabah and 12 out of 15 in Kedah.

The lady has the numbers, no doubt about that.

She also has a running mate, Datuk Kamilia Ibrahim, who looks likely to win the No. 2 post unopposed.

But supporters of Rafidah have been quick to point out that the Iron Lady secured a lion’s share of 117 nominations for the No. 1 post. She also has ground support because Wanita chiefs Datuk Halimah Sadique of Johor and Datuk Maznah Mazlan of Pahang have come out solidly for her.

And Rafidah is evidently not going to take the challenge lying down either, going by the angry messages she fired off to various Wanita leaders who asked her to go in March.

Rafidah’s right-hand woman Datuk Faridah Abu Hassan told people that “Rafidah has lost before, she is not afraid of fighting.”

Rafidah is furious at what she sees as a volte-face on the part of Shahrizat over the June transition.

The distrust between the two camps is simply too great and accusations over who played out whom have been flying back and forth.

Rafidah’s side believes that Shahrizat was in cahoots with Kamilia in soliciting endorsement for the two top posts to topple Rafidah.

On the other hand, Shahrizat’s supporters are convinced that Rafidah’s loyalists will lobby to get Rafidah a Cabinet post after March next year and find excuses for her to stay on beyond June. They have urged Shahrizat not to walk into the trap.

Shahrizat, who had been shrinking from a fight, had been quite naively hoping that Rafidah would come around to a March exit. But the vested interests around Rafidah would not budge, no matter how illogical the notion of prolonging Rafidah’s term by a mere three months.

Besides, Rafidah had by then slammed the door to a dignified exit. To back off now would be too great a loss of face.

Both sides also claim to have the support of Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak who will be the new Umno president by the time the Umno general assembly concludes in March.

The two ladies met separately with him at his office earlier this week to present their case. Rafidah had a private aside with him after an Umno management committee meeting while Shahrizat met him on Tuesday.

Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Najib are staying above the fray in what they consider to be a strictly Wanita Umno affair.

Shahrizat has also sought out Abdullah’s blessing to contest the post. The Prime Minister apparently told Shahrizat that the contest should be conducted in an “honourable way” and not to lose sight of the greater party interest.

The big question now is how the fight will turn out.

Among Rafidah’s advantages are her power of incumbency, a band of die-hard loyalists holding positions in the wing and the fact that she is still Kuala Kangsar MP.

Shahrizat holds an advisory post with ministerial status and her previous ministry had reached out to a spectrum of women.

But her biggest edge is that she represents change in a wing which has been dominated by Rafidah for more than 20 years.

Conversely, Rafidah’s challenge is convincing the women why, at 65 and a good 10 years older than Shahrizat, she should be given another term at the helm.

The last two big fights in the women’s wing were in 1996 and 2000.

The first saw Datuk Seri Dr Siti Zaharah Sulaiman who, with the backing of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, narrowly beat Rafidah by 27 votes.

Four years later, Rafidah won back the post by only 12 votes even though she was a senior minister, the blue-eyed girl of then Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Anwar was no longer around to stir trouble for her.

The lesson here is that Rafidah cannot be complacent in this third major fight in her career. She is definitely no pushover but she will have to give it her all.

Back then, the men in Umno played a big role in influencing their Wanita members to go against Rafidah. There is still little love lost between the men and the Iron Lady but the senior ladies will be in greater charge of their own destiny this time around.

Some of them, like Napsiah, have taken it upon themselves to brief Najib on the situation in the wing.

“I had to do it because it is about the future of Wanita Umno. We are not only choosing a leader for Wanita Umno but also a leader for the country,” said Napsiah.

Shahrizat flew off to Cairo the next day for an OIC ministerial meeting on women. Any campaigning on her part will have to wait till she returns. Even then, she intends to conduct a low-key and decorous campaign.

But that does not mean that things will not get hot because this is a high stakes contest. Whoever loses is finished politically.

Lines drawn for do or die battle
Malaysia Star, Malaysia

Wanita Umno chief Rafidah hits out at deputy Shahrizat

Wanita Umno's leadership transition plan slated for June is now history. In declaring this, its head, Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz said she would defend her post in the face of the challenge mounted by her deputy Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil and would leave it to the delegates to determine who they wanted as their leader for the three-year term.

The long-serving leader of the Umno women's wing is also demanding an answer from her detractors: "Why only express your dissatisfaction now and not when the plan was introduced?"

Rafidah, in her trademark handwritten statement yesterday, that filled 10 pages of the Kuala Kangsar MP's note pad, hit out at her "loyal-deputy-turned-challenger" Shahrizat for changing her mind.

"I am disappointed that the plan is being questioned and rejected more than three months after I announced it.

"Shahrizat had repeatedly said that she would not contest the top post even if nominated as she adhered to the transition plan. It was she who said that 'my word is my honour' and that she obeyed the advice from the party leaders."

Replying to a text message sent to her, Rafidah said: "The transition plan became null and void the moment Shahrizat announced her intention to contest the top post."

Rafidah said as responsible leaders, the detractors should have voiced their objection to the plan during discussions.

"If they had done so before the divisional elections, then I am sure the executive council would have cancelled the plan."

Rafidah said she would not have hesitated to allow the divisions to nominate anyone they wished as Wanita Umno head and deputy.

"But they are only voicing their objections after securing the required nominations to contest. They are giving various excuses which are not justified."

The transition plan was mooted by Rafidah in August whereby she would hand over Wanita Umno leadership to Shahrizat next June, exactly three months after the March elections.

Despite this, 73 divisions nominated Shahrizat for the Wanita top post while 117 opted for Rafidah.

On Nov 9, Shahrizat, for the first time, urged that the plan to be brought forward to March, but this was rejected by the executive council which met a day later.

Finally on Thursday, Shahrizat announced what many viewed as the inevitable -- that she would be challenging Rafidah.

Rafidah said yesterday that some quarters wanted the plan to be expedited from June to March but this was not logical.

"If it is done in March, then there is no more 'transition plan' as it involves a gap of a short period from the time the assembly is held to the point when the leadership is handed over."

She said the transition period was supposedly January to March as the party's general assembly was originally scheduled to be held next month.

"If the plan is expedited to March, it would mean that I am forced to hand over the post to Shahrizat without any contest.

"This denies the aspirations of the 117 divisions which nominated me to be the Wanita Umno head."

Rafidah said she had decided to defend her post because the plan had been ignored. As the incumbent, it was only right for her to defend the post and face the challenge from Shahrizat.

"I am leaving it to the delegates, as representatives of the grassroots, to decide who they want as their leader for the 2009-2011 term."

Rafidah succeeded Tan Sri Aishah Ghani as Wanita Umno head in 1984 after defeating Tan Sri Zaleha Ismail. She was returned unopposed in 1986, 1990 and 1993.

However, in 1996, Rafidah lost to Datuk Dr Siti Zaharah Sulaiman by 27 votes. Four years later, she made a comeback after defeating Siti Zaharah by 12 votes and was returned unopposed in 2004.

Rafidah also hoped that all posts in Wanita Umno would be contested in an orderly manner.

"Do not get involved in anything that would tarnish anybody's or the party's image. Also, refrain from making up stories, lies and slander as this would result in disunity.

"Allah swt will decide on everything and there is nothing bigger than his power," said Rafidah, whose statement had several words underlined or written in capital letters. Wanita Umno chief Rafidah hits out at deputy Shahrizat
AsiaOne, Singapore

Why Shahrizat changed her mind

Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said she would have stuck to her decision not to contest against Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz if the Wanita Umno chief's leadership transition plan had not departed from its original premise. "If developments had not taken place, I would have followed the original plan. I made the decision (to contest the top post) after taking various factors into account."

• "One, that it was in line with the transition of power from Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to Datuk Seri Najib Razak in mid-2010.
• "Two, that there would not be any contest for the No. 1 and No. 2 posts in Wanita Umno.
• "And three, that it was to ensure unity in the movement."

She said the situation had now changed: Abdullah would hand over the party leadership to Najib in March 2009 and not in 2010; the party election would be in March next year, not next month; and Datuk Kamilia Ibrahim was contesting the No. 2 post in Wanita Umno.

"The transition plan mooted by Rafidah no longer stands."
Why Shahrizat changed her mind
New Straits Times, Malaysia

Rafidah: 'Transition plan is null and void'

Wanita Umno's leadership transition plan slated for June is now history. In declaring this, its head, Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz said she would defend her post in the face of the challenge mounted by her deputy Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil and would leave it to the delegates to determine who they wanted as their leader for the three-year term.

The long-serving leader of the Umno women's wing is also demanding an answer from her detractors: "Why only express your dissatisfaction now and not when the plan was introduced?"
Rafidah: 'Transition plan is null and void'
New Straits Times, Malaysia

Shahrizat to challenge Rafidah for top post

By SHAHANAAZ HABIB

Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil has confirmed that she will contest the Wanita Umno chief post.

The deputy Wanita chief in a two-paragraph statement said that she had accepted the nominations and support she had received to go for the movement’s number one post in the March party election.

“Wanita Umno must be united and strengthen the party and be bold enough to bring change and renewal,” she said in her press statement on Thursday.

The incumbent Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz has said that she would defend her Wanita chief post and hand over power to her deputy in June, three months after the party polls.

This latest development means that Shahrizat will take on Rafidah for the post.

So far, Rafidah has shown no signs of agreeing to an earlier transition in March and is determined to stick to her June transition plan.

Shahrizat announced the decision Thursday, two days after both the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister asked for her and the wing's chief Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz to resolve the wing's transition plan problem.

Earlier this year, the wing’s exco had endorsed the transition plan with Shahrizat saying that she had no plans to challenge her boss.

However the plan went awry when the wing’s executive committee member Datuk Kamilia Ibrahim said she the plan did not make sense to her and announced her bid for the post of deputy.

On Sunday, Shahrizat made an about-turn when she urged Rafidah to hand over power in March. However, the wing’s exco rejected this and urged Shahrizat to stick to the earlier decision.

Shahrizat, who has obtained 72 nominations against the 118 received by Rafidah said the handing over of reigns should be done in March to streamline with the party polls that would be held in March.

She said the plan did not make sense as she would be acting Wanita chief for the next three years while the post of deputy would be vacant.

Kamilia qualified to contest the number two post after garnering 55 nominations from the 191 divisions in the wing. The minimum needed to do so is 39 nominations.

Shahrizat to challenge Rafidah for top post
Malaysia Star

Ahli Umno hipokrit, kata Rafidah

KOTA BHARU: Ketua Wanita Umno, Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz hari ini menyelar anggota Umno yang bersikap hipokrit sehingga menyebabkan parti itu berterusan dilanda pelbagai kemelut.

Rafidah berkata, sikap ’yes boss’ anggota parti yang mengiakan setiap keputusan dan kata-kata pemimpin walaupun mereka sebenarnya tidak bersependapat, menyumbang kepada masalah yang bertimpa-timpa dihadapi parti ketika ini.

Dengan sikap sebegitu, katanya, tidak wajar dipersalahkan sepenuhnya Perdana Menteri dan Presiden Umno, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi bagi kekalahan besar Umno pada pilihan raya umum 8 Mac lalu.

"Tidak patutlah kalau nak salahkan presiden semata-mata sehingga suruh dia letak jawatan. Ahli Umno ni ramai yang hipokrit, sebab itulah nakhoda tidak tahu mana nak pergi, dia ingat semua nak pergi satu tempat kerana di depan mereka kata ya, tak pernah ditegur, tapi belakang pula kata lain.

"Bila timbul masalah, suruh tukar nakhoda. Tak bolehlah setiap kali kapal nak karam, kita angkat nakhoda buang ke laut,” katanya ketika berucap pada majlis perjumpaan dengan Wanita Umno Kelantan di sini hari ini.

Rafidah berkata pelbagai kemelut yang berlaku dalam Umno kini memberi isyarat kepada anggotanya bahawa sudah tiba masanya mereka berubah dan lebih ikhlas dan berani dalam perjuangan.

"Hakikatnya tidak ada sesiapa yang berani cakap perkara yang menyakitkan hati ketua mereka. Ada yang berani tegur malangnya kalau ketua mereka sakit hati, terimalah padahnya, tapi yang pentingnya, perlu ikhlas dalam perjuangan.

"Ketua pun kenalah terima teguran anak buah dan anggap itu teguran membina. Dua-dua pihak sepatutnya lebih terbuka. Tapi cara tegur tu kenalah betul,” katanya.

Menyentuh isu peralihan kuasa, Rafidah berpendapat ahli Umno tidak wajar terlalu mendesak dan seharusnya menyerahkan soal bila ia akan berlaku kepada pertimbangan Abdullah dan Timbalannya, Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

"Kita janganlah nak letak banyak sangat syarat, biar orang nombor satu parti dan nombor dua berunding sebaik mungkin, mereka faham apa yang perlu dilakukan.

"Kalau sememangnya ada peralihan kuasa, biar mereka yang tentukan. Itu yang sebaiknya untuk parti, bukan baik untuk individu,” katanya.

Mengulas tindakan bekas Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad keluar Umno pada Isnin lalu sambil menggesa anggota parti itu mengikut jejaknya, Rafidah berkata, beliau yakin ahli Umno lebih setia kepada parti berbanding kepada individu.

Katanya, tindakan Dr Mahathir itu sesuatu yang mendukacitakan kerana sanggup menyanggah prinsip setia kepada parti seperti yang pernah diajarnya ketika memimpin parti.

"Umnolah yang bawa dia sampai ke puncak sehingga menjadi Perdana Menteri selama 22 tahun. Apa yang berlaku ini bukan salah Umno tapi masalah kita yang ada di dalam parti ini.

"Kita ikut ajaran Tun (Mahathir) supaya kita setia kepada parti, tetapi dia sendiri tidak buat.

"Bagaimanapun, kita tidak bimbang anggota Umno akan ikut keluar parti kerana anggota Umno setia kepada Umno,” katanya. — Bernama

UMNO: Rafidah is talking.

TENGKU BAHAR/AFP/Getty Images

A guard of honour member of the ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) party yawns as she awaits the arrival of Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for the UMNO General Assembly in Kuala Lumpur, 07 November 2007.

Rafidah against Razaleigh's EGM call, citing 'this is not the time'

By : Evangeline Majawat and Laviinia Dhanagunan

KUALA LUMPUR, Fri:

Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz has disagreed with the call by Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah for an Umno EGM to discuss the party’s disastrous March 8 polls outing, saying that “this is not the time”.

“We have suffered some setbacks during the elections. Let us not worsen the situation by dissipating the energy,” she said. “This is a time for the leadership to galvanise the party and Umno, with the other BN component parties, must unite and work together.”

She was speaking to reporters after chairing a Wanita Umno Exco meeting, joined by her deputy Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.

Rafidah said that galvanising the party was not a “one-man show” but steps are being taken to investigate and rectify what went wrong.

Shahrizat said that all the members are solidly behind Rafidah and there should not be any attempt of trying to divide the party.
“The party has lost. So what? Don’t underestimate us. We will rise again,” Shahrizat said.
Nevertheless, Rafidah, who maintains she is committed to strengthening and restoring public confidence in Wanita Umno, conceded it was also time for some soul-searching.

“Wanita Umno Exco, members and myself will go to the grassroots and strategise on how to win back voters,” she said.

“Our communication unit has already completed the first level analysis. We will conduct post-mortems on division and state levels, and compile the findings. The final report will be handed to the leaders of the party for them to take action. We will do what whatever needs doing for Wanita Umno to be effective in strengthening the party,” she said.

Rafidah said Wanita Umno will also call for a meeting with the component parties to strategise at the Wanita BN level.

BERITADARIGUNUNG - from Strait Times online and Tengku Bahar

NEWS: quiting in malaysia

1. Khir Resigns As Selangor BN Chairman And State Umno Chief

SHAH ALAM, March 19 (Bernama) -- Former Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo has resigned as the state Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman and state Umno chief, effective immediately.

Speaking at a brief news conference here tonight, Dr Mohamad Khir said he was taking full responsibility of BN's defeat in Selangor in the March 8 general election.

He also apologised for the BN's poor performance in the election.

"I've discussed with (Umno) president (Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) and he has agreed in principle to appoint Tan Sri (Muhammad Muhd Taib) as the new state BN chairman and state Umno chief," he said.

2. Datuk Seri Tengku Azlan Abu Bakar, and Datuk Anifah Aman

PUTRAJAYA/KOTA KINABALU, Wed: Datuk Seri Tengku Azlan Abu Bakar, who declined his new posting as Deputy Foreign Minister, said he did not “throw a tantrum” as reported in the New Straits Times today. He denied having done that when informing Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Tuesday that he would not take up his new post.

“I did not throw any tantrum, I merely informed the prime minister and it was a very respectful meeting. Please make this correction,” Tengku Azlan said today after reading news reports about himself.

The former deputy transport minister said he turned down the cabinet appointment because he wanted “to move on since I’m not getting anywhere”.

“I want to try going into business and to spend more time with people in my Jerantut constituency,” he said.
Besides him, Datuk Anifah Aman has also rejected his appointment as Deputy Transport Minister. Anifah was previously Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities.

KUALA LUMPUR — A close ally of the Malaysian Prime Minister, Mr Radzi Sheikh Ahmad, resigned from his political posts less than 24 hours after he was dropped from the new Cabinet.


3. Rafidah surprised that Pak Lah did not tell her earlier she would be dumped from Cabinet

KUALA LUMPUR — When it was first announced that she would hold a press conference a day after she was dumped from the Cabinet, there was speculation that Malaysia's Iron Lady, Ms Rafidah Aziz, would take the opportunity to wash some dirty Umno linen in public.