Former Selangor menteri besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo is now officially a member of the blogging community.

His blog called ' Cetusan Dr Mohd Khir Toyo ' was launched last Friday and according to him, it has received 22,000 curious viewers since.

khir toyo blog Though the ‘blogophere’ is often associated with opposition dissent, the former MB has found it apt to wrest the online space from the monopoly of the opposition in the wake of the March 8 polls.

Internet space via blogs was one of the major weapons in the opposition arsenal in the run-up to the elections. Even the government has acknowledged this.

Mohd Khir is among a growing list of BN leaders who have taken the blog phenomena seriously and found it beneficial to set up a space where people have indiscriminate access to voice their opinions

Example of other BN leaders who blog are Gua Musang MP and former finance minister Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and current Domestic Trade and Consumers Affair Minister Shahrir Abdul Samad.

Hear from the people

"I want to hear what the people have to say," said Mohd Khir when contacted today.

"I have read all the comments made by readers and now I can get first-hand information on the issues that concern the people."

Prior to his blog, the former MB said that there was a website through which the people could contact him but this was not sufficient as the site was part of the Selangor government.

"It was the site for the MB and therefor it was not really a good and free avenue for the people to express their real concerns about state affairs," he said.

Current comments on Mohd Khir’s blog ranged from readers and existing bloggers welcoming him to the ‘blogosphere’ to scathing attacks on him and the BN-Umno led government.

He was also reminded to remain active on his blog and try his best to reply to the questions posed by readers.

"This will ensure that you are not an arrogant leader who blogs only as a public relations exercise but someone with the serious intention to heed the opinions of the people," commented one reader.

Mohd Khir said that he will do his best to reply all the questions but also hopes that readers will understand the time constraints that will not permit him to reply to each and every comment.

Eyeing Umno Youth chief post

Speaking on his future in Umno now that he no longer helms the Selangor Umno chief post, Mohd Khir said that he might consider challenging the party’s youth post in the party polls this December.

"The idea is in its preliminary stage right now. We are studying the prospect of the idea so I cannot make any comments on that at the moment," he said.

In an apparent reference to deputy Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin who has aspired to be wing's No 1, Mohd Khir said that the party is not a "family party".

He said that he was not afraid to take on Khairy, who is son-in-law of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Also eyeing the post is Mukhriz Mahathir, son of former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Mohd Khir, 43, resigned as the state Umno and BN chief after Selangor fell into the hands of the opposition.

Another former Selangor MB Muhammad Muhd Taib has since taken over as the new state’s Umno and BN chief.