THE TEMASEK REVIEW

Malaysiakini: With two weeks to go, how’s your campaign for Umno deputy president going?: Normally you would have one or two months (of campaigning) before the general assembly but this time it’s six months, so it’s a long haul. Consequently, it’s very tedious in terms of the time you have to spend to meet with the delegates and all the division heads.

Muhyiddin

But I’m keeping my fingers crossed. I’m meeting many people, and of course, at the same time take the opportunity to explain current issues.

While the party election process is important, the bigger issue is of course the interests of the nation, which I think are more important. When they start to evaluate (Umno) leadership, this should be the basis of how they should vote.

How are you different from the other two candidates – Mohd Ali Rustam and Muhammad Muhd Taib?
                    
I am one of the more senior members of the party. I explain to them (the delegates) my track record in terms of service to the government in various ministries, (and) the positions that I have taken since I became member of Umno supreme council and as vice-president.

I have been highlighting the experience I have gone through in managing the government and the party, so I am trying to impress upon the delegates that this should be the criteria in choosing a leader. I think my experience, both at local and international level, would be very useful (insofar) as putting someone as No. 2 in the party as well as in the government. These are the ingredients that you need.

Well, I have to sell myself as a product. I think I have good qualities. But of course, while that is so, it’s not just about saying what you are, who you are and what you have been doing all this while… They also want you to be closer to them, shake more hands, look at them in the eye, pat their backs more often…

Apart from seniority and experience, what else would you tell the delegates about being fit for the No. 2 post?

I think they should look at my track record. I do not mince my words. I speak with clarity, my intentions for certain things, like what I did for the power transition plan.

But more than that, I impress upon them (the delegates), even to create a feeling of fear that Umno cannot to continue to slide. We’ve realised in the post-mortem how Umno fared in the last elections, where we stand vis-a-vis the people’s support and not just the Malays but non-Malays as well.

I explained to them the role Umno had played before as the premier party in BN and what is happening today. I explained to them the wider picture on why is there a need to reform and bring back (the core principles).

We need action and I am a man of action. I mean things and I do it, and we need to be fast. I instilled in them the urgency (that) this (reform) needs to be done now. In fact, we have not done so, even after the elections, so now you need some sort of leadership (that can bring in reforms) and I believe I can offer these (qualities).

These are the things they have to think about carefully – it’s not just merely an Umno issue, it is also in the interest of the Malaysian people. Never in the history of the party elections have the people at large, both non-Malays and Malays, (taken) so much interest in Umno – like who is going to be the president or the deputy because they are going to be the leaders of the country.

People want to know how the leadership will handle the economy (and) politics, and whether or not they have trust in the person who will hold such positions. I told them, with all the surveys that I have done, Muhyiddin is the person who can help.

You can’t say I have to be very modest about it, and this is true. I have been getting a lot of support from people outside who care about the state of things and they tell me that I must be there to help the leadership.

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