The fight for Wanita Chief post is on…

The latest I read is that Datuk Shahrizat Jalil, the Wanita deputy Umno chief, will challenge incumbent Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz for the Wanita Chief post in the party election in March.

Highly placed sources said that Shahrizat is expected to make the announcement tomorrow, according to Malaysiakini .

Shahrizat has been under pressure from her supporters to go for the number one post since she has bagged 73 nominations, which makes her eligible to contest and challenge Rafidah, who has 117.

Since the transition plan was revealed on Aug 4, Rafidah has been criticised by Wanita grass root members for her unwillingness to let go of her post which she has held since 1984 - with the exception of three years when she lost to Datuk Dr Siti Zaharah Sulaiman.

Under the plan, the top two posts aren’t to be contested and Rafidah will only step down in June 2009 when she will pass over the movement leadership to Shahrizat. This means that Shahrizat will be acting Wanita chief for three years until the next party election is held.

Shahrizat initially agreed to the plan but on Sunday Nov 9 she asked Rafidah to reconsider bringing it forward to March because of “development” in the movement.

The Wanita exco held a meeting on Monday during which it rejected Shahrizat’s proposal and endorsed the original plan.

However, exco member Kuala Kangsar Wanita chief Datuk Kamilia Ibrahim sprang a surprise the very next day by announcing that she’d challenge Shahrizat. Kamilia, who has 55 nominations for the post of Wanita deputy chief, by the way, didn't attend the Monday exco meeting to show her objection against the transition plan.

The challenge mounted by Kamilia is the reason, many believe, why Shahrizat is now going against her earlier pledge of not contesting the number one post. She is left with no choice - sudah tersepit - but to go for it. Damn she does and damn she doesn’t.

Another reason is the increase in support she is getting from divisions who seem to have a change of heart. Ten out of the 13 Penang divisions have rejected the transition plan yesterday. And shifting loyalties point to a Shahrizat win. (read here , here , here and here).

Jainab Ahmad, the information chief for Sabah Wanita wing, has asked Rafidah yesterday to reconsider her transition plan, according to Bernama.

And Perak Deputy Wanita Chief , Datuk Rusnah Kassim, was quoted as saying that the movement "hope to have a leader in March not an acting chief.”

Watching the drama unfolding, the top two Umno leaders have declared they are not going to interfere in the decision of the women’s wing,

Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi, the Umno President, however, has expressed his concern and intends to meet the wing's leaders when he returns.

And what has Rafidah, who is holidaying in Hong Kong, to say about this latest development?

She will comment on the matter upon her return.

All the best to Shahrizat & Rafidah.


Related articles:
Aziz Hassan's entry A Plan Goes Awry -- And A Politician Refuses To Let Go
Nuraina's Heated And Hot In Wanita Umno (Part 2)