My abhorrence for Umno is well-known to many, and I make no apologies for that. This is a political institution that shows no respect for human rights, and goes against everything that modern democracy stands for.

Its leaders talk about moving with time, but show no qualms in dispersing peaceful assemblies using excessive force while banning the new media.

Its ministers argue the clenched fist logo of the Socialist Party has ‘connotations of violence’, hence is ‘morally unsuitable’ but have no regards for those like me who look askance at the keris on the Umno flag that still hangs like the Sword of Damocles and holds the entire nation to ransom.

mahathir and rais yatim pc 190309 04 Still, I could hardly conceal my glee when Khairy Jamaluddin pulled off the biggest upset by defeating his two powerful rivals in the race for the Umno Youth chief post two days ago, which was clearly a slap in the face for Dr Mahathir Mohamad ( left ).

The former prime minister must be feeling so miserable that his effort of the past few years to halt Khairy’s meteoric rise has amounted to nothing.

He did win a few battles, including his vital role in forcing Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to step down, but the most famous son-in-law in the country has managed to come back in from the cold after having suffered a severe setback in the aftermath of the political tsunami last year.

The most unpalatable aspect of Khairy’s rehabilitation lies in the fact that Mukhriz, Mahathir’s youngest son, came third in the three-cornered fight for the Youth chief’s post, indicating Mahathir’s waning popularity among younger Umno members.

Never known for giving in, the most resentful observer of Umno elections may now be contemplating his next move to wreak havoc.

A blessing in disguise

After all, Mahathir had hinted late last year that ‘the highly educated thief’ (read: Khairy) could end up walking away with his booty while people were chasing in the opposite direction.

Expect more allegations of money politics to come from the man whose 22 years of administration produced unbridled corruption and cronyism alongside staggering economic growth.

All eyes are on Najib now that he has been officially crowned as Umno president (minus the fanfare and pomp for obvious reasons). Many are keen to know if Khairy would be given a cabinet post as the convention dictates.

My take is, should Wee Ka Siong, the MCA Youth chief, be included in Najib’s cabinet line-up, the pressure to accommodate Khairy would be tremendous.

khairy jamaluddin umno youth chief 250309 It is no secret that the Umno and MCA Youth chiefs have traditionally been the strangest bedfellows; only political naivety would permit the incoming prime minister to favour the youth leader of any other party but not that of his own.

In addition, the Umno Youth chief is popularly perceived to be a vanguard of Malay nationalism. Seen in this light, Najib can ill afford to marginalise Khairy ( above ) if his immediate task is to close ranks and stem Pakatan Rakyat’s phenomenal growth.

To a certain extent, Khairy’s victory is a blessing in disguise. Should Mukhriz have made it and Najib was compelled to include him in the new cabinet, Mahathir would relish in being some kind of a back-seat driver for sure.

Khairy might not have been the first choice, especially when Najib remains convinced that the erstwhile poster boy of Umno was involved in the plot to implicate him in the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu, the so-called Far Eastern Mata Hari. For now, at least, he has to rebuild his power base within the party.

Garnering only 38% of the Youth votes is hardly a convincing win and this vulnerability will certainly prompt Khairy to work closely with Najib. The most ambitious young man in the country has just been given a new lease on his political life and he is surely smart enough to not squander it as he once did.

Now more bitter than ever

Najib may be well pleased with the christening of his ‘dream team’ yesterday but the challenges ahead are formidable nonetheless.

Not only does he have to do more to fight back the media blitz on a host of allegations and to clear his name, he must also watch over his shoulder to ensure Mahathir, now more bitter than ever, will not blame him for not doing enough to enhance Mukhriz’s chances while also seeking to undermine his leadership.

najib announce new bn perak state govt 040209 04 When Mahathir became prime minister in 1981, he was fortunate in the sense that his two predecessors, ie. Tunku Abdul Rahman and Hussein Onn, no longer wielded clout.

The Tunku was semi-retired, while Hussein Onn was already a spent force even before he stepped down.

Najib ( left) has no such luxury given Mahathir’s megalomania. The events of the past few years have shown that the founder of Umno Baru will not hesitate to bring the party down with him and Najib will no doubt bear this destructive nature of Mahathir in mind.

The party elections have produced many happy men and women, but the joy will be short-lived. Confronted with a vastly changed political landscape and an increasingly mature and sophisticated populace, lip service on reform no longer suffices.

The circumstances, both within and without, are now conspiring against Umno, and any strategic or political blunder can easily spell the demise of the Malay party. Should that come to pass, I would be the happiest man on earth.

JOSH HONG is a Malaysiakini columnist.