Mukhriz wants Umno Youth to go back to the basics

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 13 - With 39 nominations already secured, he is the frontrunner to snag the top position in the Umno Youth race.

Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir today spelled out his reasons for entering the fray which is likely to be a three-way battle.

He wants Umno Youth to go back to its original purpose. "Umno Youth needs to regain their position as a vocal voice within Umno, in that issues that are important to the young need to be brought up by Umno Youth.

"It has not been adequately addressed in the past four years," he added.

He said it was clear to him that the young generation of voters rejected Umno as seen in the results of the March 8 general elections and confirmed in the parliamentary by-election for Permatang Pauh two months ago when opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim won by a majority of over 15,000 votes.

"I feel I have something to contribute to the wing to restore confidence in Umno in particular and BN in general," said the member of Parliament for Jerlun.

Mukhriz noted that the party was in danger of losing at the next general elections if nothing was done to reverse the perception among the young, especially considering that another one million Malaysians would qualify to vote in the next five years.

"It is a fact we have to live with," he said. He explained that there was a "perception gap between them and us".

"I can't say I know what Form 6 students are thinking," he said, referring to the next generation of voters.

He added: "I intend to find out and make sure to connect with them." Mukhriz is running to revamp the membership scheme, making it easier for young voters to register with the party.

"I want to open the membership as much as possible.There is a lot of red tape at present," he said.

However, his platform remains conservative, compared to his rival for the Youth chief post, Khairy Jamaluddin.

The Umno Youth deputy chief said he was running as a "Malaysian," as opposed to that of "Malay".

Asked if he meant that he was in favour of an open party membership system, Mukhriz clarified: "No. Umno is still for Malays. I'm assuming Malays are Muslims but not necessarily so because of Sabah."

He plans to follow up the recruitment drive with re-educating the young, new members on Umno's original purpose.

"After we have them in, we must ensure they are given adequate knowledge of Umno's history, that they understand the struggle for Independence, what was it for," he elaborated.

"We do not want members just for the sake of being members. There is no point if they are completely without the feeling for the struggle," he said.

Asked how he was going to accomplish that, Mukhriz quipped: "By just doing it."

Earlier, in an impromptu press conference, the son of former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad told reporters that he was certain that Khairy would get enough nominations to run for the Youth chief post.

"I'm certain he will get it. It's still long ways yet. There are 130-plus divisions to go," he said.

Quizzed if Umno should welcome his father back into its fold, Mukhriz quipped: "I'd like that very much."

He added: "Why not if he's willing to help in any way he can to strengthen the party? The environment is conducive for that now."

He showed a spark of his famous father's biting wit when he was asked to comment that the rise of deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak would mark a return to "Mahathirism" according to the rumour mill.

He replied: "Oh, you mean the one that has brought us prosperity all the while? Give that to me any time of the day.

"I have absolutely no problem with that. Whatever -isms it takes to strengthen the economy and give us political stability with no racial issues."

-TMI