Published September 23, 2008

Abdullah may seek re-election as Umno chief

Some feel he may be humiliated by a lack of nominations

By S JAYASANKARAN
IN KUALA LUMPUR
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MUCH to the surprise of political pundits here, Malaysia's embattled Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is likely to seek re-election as president of the United Malays National Organisation (Umno) - the position that carries the prime ministership.

Party officials say Mr Abdullah, 67, made the decision at the weekend after huddling with party allies and family members including his son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin, the deputy chief of Umno's youth wing.

'OK, we won't get that many nominations,' an Abdullah ally told BT. 'But I think we should be able to get 70 to 80 with some work.' A challenger for the presidency needs at least 58 nominations from the party's 191 divisions nationwide.

But not all Umno officials think that Mr Abdullah can pull off re-election. At a meeting of Umno state liaison chiefs last Thursday, at least two of his loyalists - Johor Chief Minister Ghani Othman and his Pahang counterpart Adnan Yaakub - told him they can no longer control their divisions, which are likely not to nominate him.

And at an Umno Supreme Council meeting later, at least four senior members suggested in strong language that Mr Abdullah not seek re-election lest he be humiliated by a lack of nominations.

The meeting ended abruptly after Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak said he would settle the leadership transition in talks with Mr Abdullah.



The stakes are huge in a party that operates on a winner-take-all basis. If Mr Abdullah pulls out now, many of his appointees are likely to lose their positions and influence.

The risk of humiliation for Mr Abdullah is real, according to some party officials. Umno divisions begin nominating candidates for the December party polls on Oct 9, and as many as 20 could announce their candidates within a couple of days.

The following week could see another 50 meetings, by which time a trend would be clear. 'The estimate is that the Prime Minister may get only about 40 nominations,' said an Umno official. 'That is why we do not want him to seek re-election.'

Some officials are so sure Mr Abdullah will not contest that attention within the party has begun shifting to a possible contest for the deputy presidency, now held by Mr Najib.

According to insiders, contenders include International Trade Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, Malacca Chief Minister Ali Rustam, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Zahid Zamidi and former Negri Sembilan chief minister Isa Samad.

Of the four, the favourite could be Mr Muhyiddin, who was one of the first Umno leaders to call for Mr Abdullah's resignation. It is believed that former deputy premier Musa Hitam is leading a behind-the-scenes campaign to get the Najib-Muhyiddin team endorsed unopposed.