Has Khairy gained popularity or destined to fail as an UMNO leader?

Of late, the 31 year-old UMNO Youth Deputy Chief Khairy Jamaluddin must have thought that he has gained much by playing racial card.

He must have enjoyed seeing his comments being played up prominently on front pages of various newspapers and he certainly does not give a damn to the negative consequences on ethnic relations, racial harmony and national unity.

But has he gained popularity or destined to fail as an UMNO leader?

It’s interesting to note that apart from Hishamuddin and Abdullah, none of the other UMNO/ UMNO Youth/Wanita UMNO / Petera UMNO/ Puteri UMNO leaders care to comment on the Khairy’s episode.

Are they condoning Khairy’s act quietly or simply not interested in Khairy?

Why Khairy resorts to racial card

Besides the possibility of making himself a Malay hero in his own party, I think Khairy is doing this to deflect criticism heaped on him by the former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who has openly claimed that Khairy is the de facto prime minister due to his close ties and strong influence over Abdullah.

Mahathir, who is on a warpath with Abdullah, has repeatedly questioned Khairy and his close aides and business associates having great influence over the current administration.

He has wanted everyone operating from the fourth level of the PM Department be sacked enbloc.

Mahathir also questioned Khairy’s stake in ECM Libra Avenue.

Subsequently, Khairy could not withstand the pressure but to sold all his shares in ECM Libra Avenue to a Malay buyer, ostensibly to “protect the bumiputera equity ownership” despite claiming there were better offers from non-bumiputera.

He vows to focus all his energy in carrying out his duty and responsibility as the UMNO Youth deputy chief and concentrates in politics.

Double-faced Hishamuddin Hussein

UMNO Youth chief Hishamuddin Hussein plays a “double face” on the Khairy blunder.

Initially, he was reported as saying that “young leaders should be cautious in making statements and he feels that Khairy should explain his stand. He even warned that leaders should refrain from making statements which could cause disunity among the Barisan Nasional coalition.

After hugging and shaking hands with MCA Youth leaders in the latter’s national conference, he expressed his anger simply because the MCA Youth has wanted Khairy to apologize.

And Khairy, on the other hand, has openly retorted that he would not apologize when come to defending religion and race. Khairy has earlier softened his stance by blaming the media for misunderstanding what he has really meant.

The Prime Minister, who happens to be his father-in-law, merely responded by saying that he would want Khairy to explain himself clearly to the leaders of other component parties in the coalition.

It’s also interesting to note what Khairy’s peers in the ruling coalition has said and see if they will follow through with some real actions to teach Khairy a lesson, in the event that Khairy refuses to back off.

Who says what about Khairy

MCA vice-president Dr Chua Soi Lek called Khairy a political novice who does not understand the 55-year-old history of MCA as component party within the Barisan Nasional. He said Khairy’s view is “unfair and wrong”. He said that MCA had never exploited Umno’s power struggle to benefit the Chinese community.

Gerakan President Lim Keng Yaik called him an opportunist, someone who wants to climb up in political ladder using race card.

Gerakan Youth chief Mah Siew Keong describes him as an “L-licensed driver” in politics. He even urged Gerakan members not to waste time in responding to Khairy.

Gerakan Vice President Chang Ko Youn said only ‘educated’ people use racial issues for selfish gains and to rise up the ladder in the party and such politician should be “drowned” in the sea of politics.

MCA secretary-general Ong Ka Chuan advised Khairy not to create more opportunity for the opposition parties to gain political mileage out of his unwarranted remarks.

MCA Youth chief Liow Tiong Lai argued that Khairy was seeking to create an “imaginary enemy”. Liow said Khairy was wrong in characterising the relationship between the Malays and Chinese as ‘win or lose’ situation - that should the Malays have the upper hand, it would mean that the Chinese are at the losing end.

Gerakan deputy secretary-general Lee Kah Choon and Gerakan Youth deputy chief Lim Si Pin have described the Umno Youth rising star’s remarks as “inappropriate” and gave the assurance that Gerakan would not exploit the current split within Umno.

An editorial in Nanyang accused Khairy of playing to the gallery to portray himself as a Malay hero. The editorial pointed out that Khairy, as one of the few Malaysians who have graduated from the prestigious Oxford and Cambridge universities; he should recognise the fact that Malaysia is a multiracial society.

In a way, both MCA and Gerakan have indirectly and unknowingly exposed their true colours and standing in the BN coalition, that they were subservient to UMNO and certainly not in any position to question UMNO in any manners, and they too have depended on racial sentiments for their political survival.

Khairy was the one who tried to stir up trouble over my article on the history of Independence in 2005

Incidentally, Khairy was the one who tried to stir up trouble over my article entitled “The real fighters for Independence”.

The little storm kicked up by Khairy lasted about two to three weeks over Malaysian TV and other media.

Three police reports were made against me amidst a series of attacks in the media. Several UMNO leaders have threatened to use ISA to detain me. One of them even suggested my citizenship to be stripped!

I have no choice but to challenge Khairy for a public debate in defending myself, to which he has declined.