Veteran footballers like Mokhtar Dahari and 'Spider' R Arumugam cannot continue to be playing when a young star like David Beckham is waiting - he can't be warming the bench forever.

This was the analogy drawn by Umno supreme council member Norza Zakaria in describing the rejuvenation process in the party.

The process in the party has to get rolling and Umno leaders must be chosen based on merit, he said.

Party leaders must acknowledge that grooming young leaders and rejuvenation are necessary to help ensure the survival of the party, he added.

"It's just like playing soccer, the good players are still on the bench. We don't want those who are playing to come from [the era] of R Arumugam or Mokhtar Dahari when David Beckham is waiting - he can't be warming the bench forever," Norza, 41, told malaysiakini in an interview on Monday.

Drawing another analogy, he said: "It is also like a sit-com when you have the same actors all the time. If it is 600 episodes, you have to change the actors."

Lead by example

Norza said the process of rejuvenation should be reflected in the selection of candidates either for the party polls or the general election.

"This could be done through several ways such as limiting the term of office bearers to two or three terms, and that leaders should be chosen based on merit.

"The party must also focus on ways on ensuring that the rejuvenation, succession and grooming process is being actively carried out in order to narrow the huge gap now," he stressed.

Norza added: "While (the government) is telling the younger generation that there is no quota from now on and it will be based on merit for those entering universities, I think it's about time that the Umno leadership should be selected based on merit and we must lead by example."

The one-hour interview was held in Norza's office in the Finance Ministry in Putrajaya where he is political secretary to Second Finance Minister Nor Mohamed Yakcop and also the Umno Youth Federal Territories chief.

Seen as a rising star in Umno, the trained accountant is also a close associate of Khairy Jamaluddin, the Umno Youth No 2 and son-in-law of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Questioned on the BN's fortunes in the upcoming general election, Norza said that "we will definitely get the two-third, (BN remains) very strong but I doubt we can repeat the March 2004 performance."

He disagreed that this was due to the people's disillusionment with the prime minister's promises and pledges for reform, which he vowed since he took power from Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 2003.

"The word is not disillusioned... I would rather say it (was due to some) confusion (among the people), they are so used to Mahathir's (administration that develops) mega infrastructure projects," he argued.

'No future for Anwar'

Asked on the opposition's chances with the charismatic ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim back in active politics, Norza brushed aside the influence of Anwar in today's politics.

"PKR (the opposition party which Anwar is the de facto leader) is a dying party because at the end of the day, it does not have its own original ideology. It was a result of a split in Umno and a lot of people who joined PKR have gone back to Umno.

"Anwar's future was in Umno and when he left Umno, I don't think there is (any political) future for him," said the Umno politician.

Recognising the real race is between Umno and PAS, Norza however said that PAS has been using religion for the sake of securing power and has since begun to do what Umno has been doing - such as organising concert and football competition.

On the most watched contest between Umno and PAS in the next elections in Kelantan, Norza said although Umno is worried about the situation, the party is not overly worried now.

"For Terengganu, Umno is there to stay forever and PAS can forget about it. Haji (Abdul) Hadi (Awang, PAS president) can think about migrating to another state," he said.

As for his personal plan in the next election, Norza said he would leave it to the party leadership to decide but was all ready to contest if given a chance.

"I have started running this race, I will have to finish it," he said.

Watch the five-minute video here .