Khairy on a mission to rebrand BN
The BN poster boy wants to bring out the good side of the ruling coalition.
From the need for public declaration of assets to the involvement of students in politics, the Oxford graduate was said to have shocked students who were mostly anticipating right-wing arguments from someone who was known for his hawkish tendencies in the past.
Syed Jaymal Zahiid, Free Malaysia Today
Barisan Nasional and Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin is on a quest in the United Kingdom.
As the ruling coalition is anxiously preparing for a key general election, the BN poster boy is on a tough mission to pull his party, now perceived to be far right, to the centre.
The busy programmes arranged for him in London is testament to his new-found direction.
Speaking to Malaysian students there, Khairy took on opposition figures in a bid to portray himself as a progressive and his aides claimed the youth are finding his ideas increasingly appealing – a positive sign that the stigma attached to BN is slowly wearing off.
From the need for public declaration of assets to the involvement of students in politics, the Oxford graduate was said to have shocked students who were mostly anticipating right-wing arguments from someone who was known for his hawkish tendencies in the past.
“At many junctures he criticised the government and unlike in the past, he didn’t try to defend every single government policy or action.
“This new KJ (Khairy Jamaluddin) is beginning to emerge – someone comfortable in his own skin and able to argue his corner primarily from a policy standpoint, and not from a partisan position,” said one of his political aides.
Whether Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak knows it or not, he needs leaders like Khairy. In the face of stiff internal opposition to his bold political and economic reforms, a forward-thinking figure like Khairy is an asset.
New kingmakers
And he is proving to be a valuable asset to young voters who are the new kingmakers. And Malaysia’s young now, tech-savvy and well-informed, are no easy lot to impress.
This new generation of voters are highly critical and are hungry for something fresh, which explains why a majority of them are leaning towards Pakatan Rakyat and its “new politics” – a dangerous trend that could lead to the ousting of the ruling coalition.
However, BN can consider itself fortunate that it remains a difficult task to convince this new generation to register to vote. A recent study done by the Election Commission showed a huge chunk of Malaysia’s youth remained unregistered.
