"Traitor" Hishammuddin not a challenge for Zahid, experts say
SHAH ALAM - Sembrong member of parliament Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein who has been labelled as a 'traitor', will not pose a challenge to Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's position as president.
The former defence minister will have a slim chance against Zahid especially now that he is being called a defector, said Senior Fellow of the National Professors Council Professor Dr Jeniri Amir.
"Whether Hisham could beat or even challenge Zahid, who is also deputy prime minister, will be an uphill task, even more now with the label of traitor," he told Sinar Daily.
Zahid, on the other hand, could emerge stronger with the support he has garnered from Umno division chiefs, Jeniri added.
"To bring down someone who is as powerful as Zahid, whether it is Hishammudin or former Rembau member of parliament Khairy Jamaluddin, they have to be equally influential and powerful," he added.
Further, Jeniri opined that with Hishammudin contesting for the top post, it will not cause any serious frictions among these senior leaders.
"At the end of the day, these leaders will just take it as a competition among one family," he added.
Universiti Putra Malaysia political analyst Datuk Prof Dr Jayum Anak Jawan also agreed that even if Hishammudin contests for the top post, it will certainly not cause any friction among Zahid or Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohammad Hassan.
"It will not cause any friction in the top leadership. Healthy competition is needed to rejuvenate the party.
"It is about offering their services for the party. Incumbents are expected to feel the heat, but that is the nature of their job," he added.
Hishammuddin who was also the former Umno vice president has expressed interest in running for the party’s top two posts, only if they were open for contest in the coming party polls.
Earlier today, Zahid said that it was up to the party members to decide whether the party's president and deputy president posts should be contested or not.
