Shahrizat wins Wanita chief post

In a stunning victory, Shahrizat Abdul Jalil today deposed reigning Iron Lady Rafidah Aziz as Wanita Umno chief.

In the final count, Shahrizat, 56, defeated Rafidah by garnering 507 votes against 280 - a convincing margin of 227 votes.

Shahrizat has gone for broke by challenging her boss Rafidah, who had helmed the wing for more than 20 years.

Rafidah, 10 years senior to Shahrizat, was not in the main hall when the announcement was made at 9.15pm.

Shahrizat, who did not defend her deputy chief post, needed to win this contest to remain in the political mainstream.

The humiliating loss by Rafidah is likely to end her long and often controversial political career.

Rafidah was first elected as the wing's chief in 1984 but she was out for a term in 1996 when she was defeated by Siti Zaharah Sulaiman.

The former trade minister bounced back to power in 1999 and subsequently strengthened her grip on the wing.

However, it is unlikely that she could make a second comeback after her defeat today.

The deputy post meanwhile was won uncontested by Kamilia Ibrahim.

Shahrizat ‘surprised'

In her victory speech, Shahrizat invited her family to the stage and gave her husband a hug for their support, stating that her family rarely turned up for Umno events.

She also immediately offered an olive branch to Rafidah, urging the immediate past Wanita chief to continue to play a role in the movement.

Shahrizat told the press that she would be meeting Rafidah soon to discuss the wing's new direction.

Shahrizat expressed her gratitude to her former boss-turned-nemesis, paying glowing tribute to the veteran leader.

"I have learnt a lot from her and this is a win for her too. I would like to extend a hand to her and I'm happy to say that she still has a place in Umno (Wanita)," said Shahrizat to her jubilant supporters.

She added that she was taken by surprise by the huge margin of her victory.

"I am actually surprised with the majority I have got... the time for change has come," she told a press conference after conveying her victory speech.

She said that the wind of change happened "because we in Wanita have the strength in lending our ears to the ground and hear what the rakyat wants".

"We know through the delegates that the rakyat want changes," she added.

When asked if she would be implementing major reforms in the movement, Shahrizat flashed her trademark smile.

"Well, I wouldn't want it to be an electric shock... but we will discuss with (incoming president) Najib (Abdul Razak) about it."

Outgoing party president Abdullah Ahmad Badawi congratulated Shahrizat for her victory after attending a supreme council meeting - the last for the powerful council before new polls elect a new team tomorrow.

Controversy riddled fight

The fight for the top post in the Wanita wing was riddled with controversy from the very beginning.

Rafidah had first announced that she would handover power to her deputy Shahrizat in June this year if she was allowed to retain her post.

But that deal was brokered when the party general assembly was slated to be held in December last year.

When the meeting was moved to this March, rumblings were heard among Shahrizat supporters that such a power-transfer agreement would prove detrimental for the deputy.

One reason given was that Shahrizat would then have to carry the workload as acting president as well as the deputy until the next party polls.

At the same time, Kamilia was also putting pressure on Shahrizat by stating that she wanted to contest for the deputy's post.

At first Shahrizat opted to honour the deal she struck with Rafidah but she was nevertheless nominated by a growing number of party divisions to go for the top post.

Eventually she relented to the wishes of her supporters and took the huge risk in challenging Rafidah for the post.

Since then she had come under attack from Rafidah's supporters for not honouring the handover deal.

The one person who benefitted from Shahrizat's decision to contest was Kamilia who won the deputy's post without a contest.

Shahrizat's election today could also result in her being appointed to the government cabinet once again. She was the women, family and community development minister until she was dropped in March last year after losing in the general election.

In her favour, the Wanita delegates today approved a motion calling for the automatic appointment of the movement's chief as a minister.

However, when queried about this, Shahrizat replied: "Let's wait and see about that".

Wanita polls results

Permanent chairperson

Napsiah Omar (uncontested)

Deputy permanent chairperson

Sharifah Aminahbi Syed Mohd

Wanita chief

Shahrizat Abdil Jalil (507 votes)

Deputy chief

Kamilia Ibrahim (uncontested)

Executive council (20 seats)

1. Hasnah Salam (520 votes)

2. Maznah Abdul Hamid (509)

3. Rosni Zahari (480)

4. Armani Mahiruddin (463)

5. Norhayati Onn (463)

6. Norhayati Omar (432)

7. Rusnah Kassim (430)

8. Marlia Abd Latiff (416)

9. Noriah Mahat (412)

10. Ros Suryati Alang (405)

11. Jamelah A Bakar (400)

12. Suraya Yaacob (388)

13. Azihani Ali (385)

14. Norliza Abdul Rahim (377)

15. Sharifah Azizah Syed Zain (375)

16. Maznah Mazlan (374)

17. Azizah Mohd Dun (371)

18. Seripah Noli Syed Hussin (367)

19. Norliza Ahmad (347)

20. Wan Hazani Wan Mohd Nor (344)

Puteri polls results

Meanwhile, Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirun has beaten five other candidates to win the Puteri Umno chief post.

She bagged 245 votes.

The deputy chief post went to Shahanim Mohd Yusuf, who picked up 355 votes.