UMNO Youth: Staying relevant?

As I sit here by my computer awaiting the results that are streaming in from the UMNO wings elections (Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil beat Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz – 507 to 280 votes, btw), I got to thinking about UMNO Youth.

I’m not sure if it’s because I work with and for young people or that youth issues have always been close to my heart (though some of the UMNO Youth members are way past my definition of youth), or because I’m extremely curious to know the results from the battle between Mukhriz, Khir and KJ.

Anyway, I digress. I probably am thinking about them because of an article I read this morning in The Star headlined Delegates want tighter rules on blogging.

SEVERAL speakers at the Umno Youth general assembly today are expected to call for tighter rules to govern the activities of bloggers, particularly socio-political bloggers in the country.

I thought the article was particularly interesting because … well, if the UMNO Youth members really feel that way (will have to wait for news reports to see what they actually said during their session today), then it is unbelievable how out of touch they are with the current generation of youths – the generation that they apparently represent.

Thankfully, two people – one of whom might just be their next head – thinks otherwise. I’m not sure if this was a political move, but Khairy Jamaluddin today went on record to say that it was not wise for UMNO to ban some members of the Internet media at the general elections, a decision that has gain a lot of criticism.

They felt that the new media should be welcomed and if they reported negatively, the party must be prepared to defend itself.

Khairy Jamaluddin described the ban as “strategically an error”.

”We should be welcoming the new media. This is the trend of the future. We need to open our doors, if not we will be flooded with rumours and poison-pen letters.

I mean, think about it, all UMNO leaders have been talking about for the past year is about being relevant. New media is the now, and it is the future. It doesn’t get anymore relevant than that.

On a side note, I am happy to hear that major UMNO leaders (well, maybe not Rafidah anymore) have come out to defend the use of English language in schools.

Deputy Prime Minister (and soon to be UMNO president after tomorrow) in his speech yesterday asked UMNO members to stop politicising the use of English language, and instead to embrace it. Today, in her fiery speech – probably the last as Wanita Chief – Rafidah also said the same thing.

Hmm … still no word about the rest of the results. I’ll update this post as the night drags on.

9.41pm Malaysian time (+8 GMT)

Tags: khairy jamaluddin, khir toyo, Malaysia, mukhriz mahathir, Najib Tun Razak, politics, rafidah aziz, Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, Umno, umno youth, wanita umno