To say the least, wasn't it amusing to read that Khairy Jamaluddin, in an interview with the local press, claims that a dirty-trick campaign is being orchestrated by certain parties to demonise him and destroy all his chances of rising any further in Umno.

Hmm, we wonder who these people are. We all agree that these people must be from inside Umno because the opposition, the bloggers etc couldn't care tuppence whether Khairy wins in the three-cornered fight (with Mukhriz Mahathir and Mohd Khir Toyo) to become the chief of Umno Youth.

Only groups and forces within Umno are doing this for the simple reason that they want their own men and Khairy to prosper in the party's heirachy.

The question is, Khairy is no outsider to this Umno elections scrum and he still has his father-in- law, boys on the Fourth Floor, Utusan Malaysia and some dark forces who can all jointly combat the black propaganda against him.

I am sure Khairy's men must have, by now, learnt all the dirty tricks or is Khairy saying that his boys still can't think straight or would pee in their pants when they are up against big problems?

And Mukhriz and Khir are no Khairys. They didn't go to an international school and then on to Oxford.

The problem is that many in Pemuda Umno are a bit upset with Khairy's challenge to Mukhriz and Khir and feel that the trio should have a debate so that the Pemuda delegates can judge and decide who is most qualified.

Thing is, Khairy surely knows that the best and most able leaders need not be good orators. The required ingredient is that the delegates must have a perception that their chosen must be seen to be sincere, or have some semblance of sincerity if you like.

The debate Khairy was asking for shouldn't be for the Youth, Women, Putera or Puteri wing contenders because these ‘toothless’ wings are quite inconsequential.

Khairy should be demanding that since Umno has reached another important crossroads, it is contenders for senior posts in the main party that should participate in a TV debate.