Assembly may be quieter but no less important

AS the movers and shakers of Malay and Malaysian politics, this year’s Umno General Assembly will be a little quieter, but no less important.

It might be remembered more as a moment when Datuk Seri Najib Razak cemented Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as his deputy after sacking Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, together with Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.

Najib and Zahid seem a good fit. Probably as Zahid was once Najib’s political secretary.

I believe that this year’s assembly is more about Umno members than the party leaders. From as far back as anyone can remember, Umno general assemblies focus on its leaders.

Questions about what the president wants from his deputy or Supreme Council members, the direction forward, and the Malay and national aspirations are the normal staple. This time, too.

It’s also about who’s going to make a move for the president’s or deputy president’s position and the senior leadership tussle below the two top posts. Perhaps this year will prove the exception. We know the holders of the top two posts while there is a vacancy for the third vicepresident’s post.

Many would remember what happened on the last day of the assembly last year when Najib tried to mend fences with his remark, shaking hands with Muhyiddin.

Regrettably, Muhyiddin and Shafie rejected Najib’s attempt to unify everyone in Umno and events since then show how much the two leaders are opposed to the Umno president.

This time, Najib should be more comfortable as Umno president. Commenting that Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad no longer wields the fear factor is an indication that Najib believes that he has weathered the storm created by the former leader.

This should also allow Zahid to come to the fore. A united leadership will show the members and the country that Umno will continue to protect everyone’s interests as has been proved by Najib.

He recently did a number on the opposition, especially DAP, with his successful China trip that strengthened Kuala Lumpur-Beijing relations. Until today, the opposition, including Dr Mahathir, say their worry is that China will intervene in Malaysia’s affairs and would be freer to decide her claims on the South China Sea.

The irony is that the opposition itself is involved with outside forces to change the country’s leadership undemocratically by espousing the line that it is doing it in line with democratic practices.

The opposition also didn’t like it when Najib revealed his telephone conversation with United States president-elect Donald Trump, where they agreed to solidify USMalaysia relations. In fact, Najib and Trump seem to face a common enemy — George Soros! The financier is said to be funding antiTrump protests in the US.

It is reported that Trump’s supporters have begun to organise protests against the billionaire, who is also a Democrat donor.

Soros’s Open Society Foundations has denied claims that he had any involvement in the protests, but also said that it’s possible that some groups the foundation supports were involved. A very creative explanation, indeed. So, expect the Umno General Assembly debates on the matter to be lively.