Power grab in UMNO?

malaysiakini reported that it’s possible in the next general election that UMNO will drop several current big names from its list of candidates while moving some from state to federal, not so much as a promotion but a curtailing of their local feudal power. UMNO HQ wants to prevent uncontrollable warlords from becoming a future problem to the party top echelon.

Several menteris besar (MB) will not be contesting, with some retiring because of age. It has been remarked that Selangor MB, already targeted for some time, will see his state wings clipped as he has become “too strong in the state” and therefore “difficult to control.”

Apparently one of those to receive the chop is Johor Menteri Besar Abdul Ghani Othman, he of the pivotal race notoriety – hmmm, maybe that explains his typically UMNO pahlawan bangsa posturing in recent times. He must have realised the impending move against him.

Now, this is the most interesting part because behind all these is the big power grab.

The vacant MB posts will be filled by younger leaders. Whoever controls the allegiance of these young bucks will enjoy immense power within the party because several of the states have large numbers of party divisions.

For example, Johor has 26 divisions (which may explain why Datuk Pivotal Race has to make way for ‘someone’ from Camp X). Perak has 24 and thus Tajol Rosli Ghazali may go too.

Dr Mohd Khir Toyo currently lords over Selangor’s 22, Mahdzir Khalid with 15 in Kedah, Adnan Yaakob with 14 in Pahang, have all been kicked upstairs to federal parliament.

The number of divisions translates into party delegates - 13 from each division - who will vote during the UMNO elections. The number of delegates from these states where their MBs will be retired or kicked upstairs will make up at least two-thirds of the total delegates attending the general assembly.

It’s also interesting that the party has postponed its polls until after the general elections.

As I commented earlier, the big power grab comes when control over the states via the MBs’ posts is firmly secured by whoever selects the new MBs. That person will determine the hierarchy in the party.

Observers said it’s all SIL’s work. He’s not only holding on to his golden pot of rice but sticking his fingers in every others’.

I suppose this would be part of his strategy to be PM by his mid 40’s. I am waiting to see whether any counter-manoeuvres would be forthcoming.

Lots of rice ... hmmm, here’s pulut in your face ... but don’t get choked because more than a decade ago there was such another overly-ambitious UMNO man who thought he could achieve overwhelming power by putting his people in strategic posts and dominate the party. The rest, as they say, is history.

There's many a slip 'twixt cup and lip!