A Penang Umno leader claims the latest controversy brought about by a Utusan Malaysia report - that DAP and a group of pastors are plotting for a Christian state - is meant to be a trap for his party.

And unfortunately, lamented Penang Umno Youth chief Sheikh Hussein Mydin, his party has fallen into the trap.

The trap, he claimed, was hatched by certain quarters who would benefit from the controversy to run down his party’s image.

Sheikh Hussein neither agrees with nor believes in the report which has caused a ruckus across the country, with various organisations lodging police reports against the DAP, the pastors and the newspaper.

He said the unverified news report, based on postings by two pro-Umno bloggers, has led to allegations that the Malay party was behind this.

“The police are efficient and smart, they will find out soon who is behind the accusations,” he told Malaysiakini .

However, he questioned if the continuing brouhaha has benefited Umno or if it would have repercussions.

He appears to have an interesting theory: one must analyse who stands to gain the most from the  episode in order to reveal the conspirator.

“It doesn’t benefit us at all. It makes us look bad. But it does look as if DAP benefits from all the spinning,” he said when met after the BN Youth media night in Penang last night.

Sheikh Hussein was accompanied at the dinner - which drew about 100 people - by state Gerakan Youth chief Oh Teong Keong, MIC Youth chief J Dhina and MCA’s Eng Hiap Boon.

jeff ooi lodge police report against utusan 080511 1 “It is easy to link the matter to Umno, but we can also accuse the DAP. Jelutong MP Jeff Ooi ( right ) was there at the closed-door meeting (of pastors), not us. How did the information get out?” he asked.

Sheikh Hussein said it would be convenient for certain parties to create the issue to win back voters who have strayed.

In the last general election, non-Malays had thrown their support behind Pakatan Rakyat, which took over the state leadership in 2008.

“But there is also a fear that many voters are returning to BN and the Malays to Umno, hence the need to create an issue... this time it is a religious one,” he claimed.

‘Field younger, energetic candidates’

Sheikh Hussein also shared his thoughts about the next general election with Malaysiakini, saying the news portal is the first website he checks daily.

If BN desires to achieve victory, he said, it must field younger and energetic candidates, although this was not intended to mean that the party must get rid of its seniors.

In the Sarawak and Singapore polls respectively, younger candidates were successful, Shaik Hussein noted, and this could be practised in Malaysia, especially in Penang.

NONE “As a good opposition in Penang, we want to give the Pakatan government a good fight. We are not only young, but Internet-savvy with skills in social networking.

Sheikh Hussein (left) said BN Youth needs to express its opinions on how to improve the party or country.

The wing’s latest strategy, he said, had been conveyed to the top leadership, which has agreed to implement the ideas.

“Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has spoken about fielding ‘winnable’ candidates. If we do, we are confident of winning about 15 seats in Penang,” he said.

Umno holds only 11 of the 40 seats in the Penang legislative assembly.

Sheikh Hussein said the Youth wing would ask state BN chief Koh Tsu Koon to provide those who were willing to work hard with a few winnable seats.

NONE “DAP can win big as it has young people like (Bukit Bendera MP) Liew Chin Tong (left) . I admit he is good,” he said.

Sheikh Hussein said the BN Youth was not making a demand but merely appealing to the rakyat to give BN a chance to deny the state government its two-thirds majority.

“If only Umno and DAP win all the seats, it is not healthy as it does not reflect a multi-racial society,” he said.

As for contesting in PKR areas to ensure victory - as the constituencies are said to favour BN now - he disagreed that all of the rival party’s candidates were weak.

“How can we beat Pantai Jerejak assemblyperson Sim Tze Tsin (who) works very hard for his constituency?

“It is therefore more about the quality of candidates, and not whether it is PKR or DAP seats which we need to challenge.”

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