KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 16 — Umno veterans should not be marginalised as they have the capability and experience to interpret policies into information easily understood by the people, said Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir.
Mukhriz (picture), who is one of three vice-president candidates in the party’s election on Saturday, said even though there was an agenda to rejuvenate the party, it did not mean veterans should be cast aside.
“The experience of the older leaders are far richer than the young, especially in interpreting policies and strategies to reach out to the people.
“On this matter, the younger leaders need to refer to people with more experience,” he said in an interview over Bernama TV’s ‘Ruang Bicara’ programme at Wisma Bernama here yesterday.
Also interviewed in the programme was another vice-president aspirant, Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad, who is also Felda chairman.
Concurring with Mukhriz, Mohd Isa said rejuvenating the party did not mean that only the younger generation should be given the mandate to lead but also to ensure more from the younger group were easily accepted into Umno.
He said even though the younger group was important as they were the party’s second-liner, the fact remained that there were many veterans who were not only loyal to Umno but also eligible to vote for the party’s leadership.
“Once we have a large of pool of young leaders, we will not run out of the second-liners. Besides, the training of Umno leadership begins with the Youth wing,” he noted.
Mohd Isa said giving the younger group an opportunity to lead was not something new as, on his part, he became Negri Sembilan mentri besar at age 33, while Prime Minister and Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak became Pahang mentri besar when he was only 29.
Meanwhile, Mukhriz, when asked on the factors for him to be elected Umno vice-president, said the success in recapturing Kedah from PAS should be considered by the Umno delegates.
According to him, the success of Kedah Umno should not be belittled and with the vice-presidency, he believed the successful formula could be shared with others more effectively.
Mohd Isa felt he should be elected to forge a balance between the younger leaders and the veterans in Umno’s leadership to ensure the party was more progressive and competitive.
However, both leaders agreed that competition to grab the three vice-president posts should be healthy and democratic.
Apart from Mukhriz and Mohd Isa, the other candidate contesting for the post is former Melaka chief minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam.
The three incumbent vice-presidents are Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Datuk Seri Mohd Hishammuddin Hussein and Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.
Voting for the Umno central and division top leadership will be carried out simultaneously at 191 divisions this Saturday, with the results expected to be known on the same day. — Bernama
