'When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you achieve it.' So says Paulo Coelho in The Alchemist, a bestseller of the Brazilian author.

Unfortunately for Khairy Jamaluddin, the universe is not at his behest in his quest for the post of deputy leader of Umno Youth. Luckily still, our entire press has been conspiring in his favour to help him ascend to the second highest position in the youth movement by profiling the wunderkind of Malay politics as a frontrunner and the young talent to watch.

The 'most influential 28-year-old in Malaysia', whom the group editor-in-chief of the New Straits Times Kalimullah Hassan once lamented for being denied even the basic liberty to choose a career for himself, has been quietly but steadily mounting his charm offensive. Having earned the affinity of the Malay and the English press, the son-in-law of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, oh no, a gifted politician in his own right, has begun to court the attention of the Chinese press also.