"'It is not a question of whether or not I am accepting the challenge....there is a challenge and I will have to defend my post."We will meet di gelanggang in March," the incumbent Wanita chief, Rafidah Aziz, told Nuraina Samad of 3540 Jalan Sudin in response to her deputy's decision to challenge her for the post in the party elections in March.
Rafidah, in an interview with the blogger, said she was shocked by Shahrizat Jalil's "about-turn" - by going against her earlier pledge.
Shahrizat had assured her, the Wanita exco and the public that she had no intention of contesting the top post and had agreed to the transition plan to ensure a smooth transfer of leadership in June.
Yesterday, Shahrizat as expected - following recent development in the movement - announced her decision to challenge Rafidah.
Asked if she would hand over the leadership to Shahrizat in June if she wins in the March elections, Rafidah said:
"If I win, then I will have to lead the wing for another three years."- continue here.
12 comments:
Does Shahrizat think that Rafidah will give in easily?
So the fight is in the open & all those salam-bersalaman is nothing but a charade.
Yes this is a do and die thing for shahrizat. Rafidah has nothing to lose except her pride (if she lost to Shahrizat. After all she says she will be leaving in June.
Rafidah is a fighter - no doubt about that. Remember how she wrested the post from Zaharah Sulaiman who managed to hold it for only a term?
We'll see if members truly believe in a change in the movement that they been screaming about. Otherwise, poor Shahrizat will be left out in the cold.
Congratulations to the dark horse, Kamilia, who has already won the no 2 post uncontested - unseating Shahrizat.
Kamilia has played her cards well.
"If I win, then I will have to lead the wing for another three years."
See how magnanimous Rafida is?
Let's say Shahrizat sticks to the transition plan, ie she wont challenge Rafidah and Rafidah retains the post.
Rafidah will hand over the leadership to her Shahrizat.
But now that Shahrizat will challenge her and if Rafidah menang - which I think she will -there is no way she is going to hand over the leadership (in June) to Shahrizat, who has technically lost to Kamilia.
Shahrizat will now have to - by hook or by crook - ensure she wins. Otherwise there is no place for her in the movement.
Is Shahrizat going to be another Zaharah? Scalped to a pulp by Rafidah?
I would prefer to have Kamilia to take over the position of Wanita chief, instead of Shahrizat. In my opinion, she is more qualified compared to the flip-flop Shahrizat.
Shahrizat is taking a big risk going against Rafidah.
Rafidah might just continue to be the wanita head and Shahrizat can kiss gooddbye to her dream of leading the movement - for now.
Shahrizat went against her word. Why did she agree to the transition plan if she knew it was a foolish one?
At least Kamilia had the guts to say it out that she is against it and even refused to attend the exco meeting to show her objection to the plan.
I think in this fight, the iron lady might just win - not that I am a fan.
Rafidah says Shahrizat went against her pledge.
Okay she's going to defend her post and if she wins she says she will lead the movement for the next three years.
Isnt she herself going against the transition plan?
Why cant she hand it over to the deputy chief, whoever that person is.
And in this case, she should hand it to Kamilia, who has won the post uncontested now that Shahrizat is not defending her post as deputy chief but has instead decided to contest the top post.
Didnt she say, according to the original transition plan, that she wants to leave?
Now that she is defending her post against Shahrizat, and if she wins she doesnt want to leave, come June 2009.
What does this tell us?
Sememangny dia tak nak letak jawatan. Period!
Go kak Ijat. Go, go, go. Go for it!
round 1 - fight!
we shall witness some of the biggest fight in wanita UMNO history.who shall outwit who?
it's 50-50 chance to win for both candidates.i'm sure Rafidah still have her loyal fans around her belt.but that doesnt mean Shahrizat should give up that easily since she's also start to receice support from wanita UMNO all over Malaysia.
The Malay Mail has a good write-up by Zainal Epi on why Rafidah is sticking to the transition plan in June.
Why is Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz reluctant to hand over the top Wanita Umno post in March but doesn’t have a problem doing so in June?
That is the million dollar question being asked within Umno, more so in the ranks of Wanita, as many in the party ponder the merits of the veteran leader's argument that she needed the three months to sort things out.
However, speculation is rife Rafidah is simply gunning for a Cabinet post under the leadership of the incoming prime minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Umno division heads said it was the tradition of the new president, in this case Najib who will also take office as prime minister, to revamp the Cabinet after the party elections. By convention, the Wanita Umno head is given a place in government.
“If Datuk Seri Shahrizat Jalil wins as Wanita head, will she be given a ministerial post despite not being a member of parliament ?
Datuk Kamilia Ibrahim, who is going for the No 2 post, is also not an MP.
So who will represent the movement in the Cabinet? These are the issues now being speculated,” said one division head.
“Only Rafidah is qualified. So, if you go by what has been practised by Umno, this could be the reason why she want s to contest and stay on till June.”
Traditionally, the Cabinet reshuffle takes place a month after the Umno elections.
"This means that the new lineup will be announced in April, or by May at the latest. If Rafidah remains Wanita head, then she stands a chance of being appointed to the Cabinet," the official added.
However, Shahrizat and Kamilia can also be given places in government by being appointed as senators.
An Umno leader said Rafidah could also want to protect her supporters in the Wanita exco line-up.
“The practice is winner takes all. Rafidah's fear might be that her supporters in the exco line-up would be replaced by Shahrizat's people. It's about taking care of one's supporters...”
Umno leaders who spoke to Malay Mail give Shahrizat a 50-50 chance of winning if she challenges Rafidah; and being able to retain her deputy head’s post if she fights it out with Kamilia.
They said Rafidah commanded a lot of support in the movement and the majority of the delegates picked to attend the movement's assembly in March were her supporters.
“The ones calling for change and expressing open support for Shahrizat are the movement’s division heads but below that level, the many more Wanita delegates who will be casting their votes at the general assembly are Rafidah’s supporters,” said another division leader.
For this situation, that is better for Shahrizat to take a risk to compete with Rafidah because I think Rafidah will not give his position easily to Shahrizat. Anyway, I prefer Kamilia to take that position because she is look very 'bersih' with her image.
Undoubtedly Rafidah is capable and has proven to be a strong leader in control of the movement.
Dont know for the life of me why she wants to hang on to the post.
I believen she can stand on her own if she was to go and fight it out in mainstream Umno - go for the Umno deputy president post.
Teach those Umno male leaders what it takes to be a real leader - fearless and not be a yes man.
IMO 24 years of leading the women's movement is long enough. Give a chance to the other members to rise up in the wing's hierarchy.
Shahrizat did a tactical error of judgement . Rafidah will handover to her in june why impatient unless some forces behind the scene.
By fighting Rafidah Shahrizat will be known as flipflop leader not consistent . She has to defence herself from Rafidah peoples that she was the loser from Lembah Pantai PRU 12 Rakyat rejected her .
Her position was redeem by AAB by appointing her as advisor which was not right as there are other MPsfrom wanita wing.
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