I refer to Malaysiakini report Confirmed: Shahrizat to go for top post.

After all the hullabaloo about Shahrizat Abdul Jalil and Rafidah Aziz having agreed on a leadership transition plan at the last Wanita Umno meeting, it look likes this has been scuttled and Shahrizat is going for broke.

This time around, Rafidah, the ‘Iron Lady’ who has helmed the movement for more than two decades, will find it tough to defend her post as she had overstayed her welcome and the ground sentiment is against her.

The feisty Rafidah should have read the writing on the wall that after she was dropped from the cabinet and awarded a Tan Sri-ship during the King’s last birthday. That was, in fact, a wake-up call for her to make a gracious exit from government and politics and let her deputy take over.

The battle royale between these two titans of the Wanita wing will now split the movement into two different camps as both have ardent supporters. Regardless who wins the top post; it will be difficult to reconcile the supporters and to close ranks after the result is announced.

By attempting to secure the wing’s number one post during the party elections in March after agreeing to a leadership transition plan set for June, indicates that this deputy leader of the women’s wing is fickle-minded and not a strong leader.

The only reason why Shahrizat is going for broke is because another contender, Kamila Ibrahim, refuses to play ball and wants to contest for the number two post regardless of whether Shahrizat defends her position or not.

Shahrizat is caught between a hard rock and the deep blue sea in this power struggle and rather than losing her deputy’s post to her rival, it would be more dignified for her to take on her mentor for the number one post as her chances of winning are getting better by the day.

The issue of the controversial APs permits which was raised in parliament by opposition member Azmin Ali (PKR- Gombak) continues to haunt Rafidah who was the former international treade and industry minister.

It was alleged that large numbers of these lucrative AP permits were given to close relatives of Rafidah. This scandal is working against her in seeking another terms as Wanita president. It is d é j B vu for Rafidah as the sins of the past continue to follow her just when she is seeking another shot at power.

A compromise has to be reached between the three parties of Rafidah, Shahrizat and Kamila where either one of them makes way for another. Either way, Umno Wanita members will have to decide among themselves whom they want to lead the movement come March 2009.

It will be a humiliating exit for the former international trade minister is she fails to be reelected as Wanita chief against her deputy in the coming polls.

On another matter, the former premier intends to publish the names of those jockeying for top posts in Umno and who are involved in money politics (read bribery). This has sent shivers down the spines of those who have spent a lot of cash to be nominated for party posts.

As practically all the top Umno posts except the president’s post are up for grabs, more money will change hands as those who aspire for high office will have to outbid their rivals to win.

This money politics started during the former premier’s watch and since then it has gone from bad to worse as practically all those who had won office are guilty of this hideous crime.

Since Umno cannot stop money politics from destroying the party, it will be mark the beginning of the end of this dominant party who will be in the throes of defeat come the next general election.

The new premier will not be able to stop the rot from destroying the party as his hands are not clean either. It will be a pyrrhic victory for those tainted aspirants when they are elected as most of them will probably be sitting on the opposition bench in parliament after the next election hopefully more wiser.

Umno leaders are power and money-hungry and should be shown the door at the next polls as they refuse to listen to the calls for them to change. The loudest call to them was on March 8 but this still hasn’t registered.

Their old ways of doing business while running the government will not do if they want to command the respect of the people to support them in the next general elections. Enough of this nonsense.