At last the Malaysian Youth Council(MYC) held their overdue election to elect a new leadership. As usual the election this time also sees the usual lobbying and horse trading amongst the candidates and their supporters. To many youth leaders especially those linked to Umno, MYC is a platform for them to enhanced their leadership skills and political careers.
Amongst those that has been active and served as presidents in the MYC and later appointed to party and government positions includes Malacca Chief Minister Ali Rustam, Deputy Ministers Hasan Malek and Saifuddin Abdullah. The former Selangor Menteri Besar Mohd Khir Toyo was also president for two terms. Out going president Shamsul Anuar Nasarah was elected as an MP in 2008 during his term of office. Even opposition leader and former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim had helmed MYC as president during mid-70s.
Due to the strong influence of Umno members in the MYC, it is not surpirising that the umbrella organisation for youth in Malaysia is painted as pro-Umno. This perception became stronger in recent years and most obvious of them all was during the leadership of Shamsul Anuar who is also an Umno Youth Exco member. During his term of office from 2006-2010, the MYC was seen as the spokesman for the BN-lead government especially Umno. MYC became to act like a branch of Umno Youth when for many occasions its programs were held together with Umno Youth. Even the MYC's Hari Raya open house during his time were held in conjunction with Umno's annual general meeting.
During the recent MYC AGM to elect the new leadership, Shamsul Anuar tried to lobby for a certain candidate to be elected the new MYC president to replace him. It was claimed that this candidate was endorsed by the Prime Minister and Umno president Najib Razak. The said candidate was considered an outsider and parachuted candidate by many of the out-going Exco members and affiliates of the MYC. During the final Exco meeting to discuss the next line-up, 2/3 of the Exco members walked out of the meeting when Shamsul tried to push for Noor Azali Bin Sulaiman, a first term assemblyman from Terengganu as the "official" candidate.
After experiencing the last few years of perceived political interference, the grassroot youth leaders just wanted the MYC to stand firm on its principles as an youth organisation without domination of external influence. At last Noor Azali, after failing to convince his challenger Mohamed Maliki to give way to him to win unopposed and also having considered the feelings and rumblings on the ground, decided to withdraw from the presidential contest in the wee hours of voting day. The underlying message is that the lack-lustre support from the youth leaders for the PM's "hand-picked" candidate can be seen as a snub by the youths towards Najib Razak.
Even though the new president Mohamed Maliki is also known as an Umno supporter, he was accepted as the preferred choice due to his background as a serving MYC Exco member and a government servant in an university. The perception is that he will be less political in his approach and able to draw supports from different groups of youth organisations affiliated to MYC. So far, in his maiden press statement in relation to the fire-bombing of churches recently, he at least act like a leader for all races and religion by speaking out strongly against the cowardly act of aggression.
But then only time will tell if he will be able to live to the expectations for those grassroot youth organisations who paved the way for him to lead the apex youth organisation in Malaysia. - Loka
