Hishamuddin eyeing Umno veep post, say insiders
Nash Rahman
6:43pm Tue Apr 29th, 2003
Umno Youth chief Hishamuddin Hussein appears set to move up the ranks when the transition of power at the top comes into effect this October, said a party source today.
Anticipating that vice-president Najib Razak would be named deputy president when premier-in-waiting Abdullah Ahmad Badawi takes over the party, Hishamuddin and several other younger leaders have expressed their desire to contest for the vice-president post.
"Previous Umno Youth chiefs Anwar Ibrahim and Najib had comfortably won the contest for the vice-president post," said the source.
According to the source, delegates from the Umno Youth represent almost 20 percent of the delegates who vote in party elections.
"This provides the Umno Youth chief the opportunity to strike a bargain with contenders for other party posts, to secure enough votes to win the post," he added.
If he succeeds, Hishamuddin, 42, whose grandfather onn Jaafar founded Umno, would one day be in the running for the party’s top post and eventually the premiership.
His father, Hussein onn, was the country’s third prime minister and the brother-in-law of Najib’s father, Tun Razak, who was the second prime minister.
Likely replacement
With Hishamuddin ascending into the upper echelon, the source said Selangor Menteri Besar Mohd Khir Toyo is regarded as the most likely replacement for the Youth chief post.
"Prior to this, news have been going around for months about the possibility of Mohd Khir contesting for the Umno Youth chief post.
"It was initially thought he would be challenging Hishamuddin for the post, but it was later learned that the latter wished to vacant the post to vie for the vice presidency," he said.
Other possible contenders for the vice-president posts are Perak Menteri Besar Tajol Rosli, Johor Menteri Besar Abdul Ghani Othman, Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar (gambar) and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Dr Rais Yatim.
Incumbents Muhyiddin Yasin and Muhammad Muhd Taib are expected to defend their respective posts at the next party election.
The party election which was scheduled for this year has been postponed until after the general election, which is due in November next year.
Mahathir, who has been in office for 22 years, will relinquish his positions in October and will be succeeded by Abdullah.