Azalina contesting VP post not about gender, say analysts
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said - FILEPIX
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Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina is among seven candidates vying for six president's posts, including Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir, Titwangsa member of parliament Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani and Umno Youth chief Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki.
Dr Jayum said Azalina had a lot of work to do in order to establish herself as a top leader in the party as she would have to live up to the benchmark set by Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz, a political heavyweight who stood tall as Umno's only female vice president during her time.
“This has nothing to do with gender but as a woman, she will be measured to the likes of 'Iron Lady' Rafidah,” he said, adding that the Pengerang MP must be viewed as a leadership material in order to be accepted.
Echoing Dr Jayum, Singapore Institute of International Affairs senior fellow Dr Oh Ei Sun agreed Azalina being a woman was not an issue.
“I think gender is not really an issue here. It is basically her popularity versus that of Zambry,” he said.
Universiti Teknologi Mara political analyst Dr Abdul Aziz Azizam said Azalina might stand a chance to win one of the vice president's posts.
“That is one of the possibilities that we can see in Umno's future. With that I can personally say that Azalina might have the tendency to win considering all this while the strength of Umno was in its Wanita wing,” he said.
