Amazing Race UMNO

Tan Sri Muhyiddin says he will wait for Pak Lah to make his decision. To defend the president’s post or hand it over to Najib. While he is mulling over his own earth shattering decision, the one time coffee boy to Najib, Zahid Hamidi had decided to go for the deputy president’s post.

When Zahid decides to contest the deputy president’s post, he does two things. First it is Najib who talks through Zahid. What Zahid is saying is, Najib is going for number 1. Secondly, Zahid’s announcement leaves Muhyidin out of Najib’s select group.

Muhyiddin must have been calculating that Pak Lah will hand over to Najib. Najib then becomes the pemangku president pending his validation by the UMNO GA in march 2009. that would leave the position of deputy president vacant.

What will Najib do? He will play the statesman to the hilt, saying that he will NOT take sides. Yet he will quietly support Zahid Hamidi because he feels more comfortable with Zahid Hamidi than Muhyidin.

In the end, Muhyidin will find himself out of the game having been outmanoeuvred by Najib and his people. Zahid Hamidi wouldn’t want to enter the fray if he has not got some encouragement elsewhere. You can be sure, in inducing Zahid to go for the deputy’s post, JJ has a prominent role in this game of white spy vs, black spy. JJ and Najib’s people see an opportunity to eliminate all potential rivals as Najib’s ascension looms.

How will Muhyidin play the game now? He will have no other choice other than offering himself as deputy president. You think Zahid would want to offer himself deputy against Najib without knowing that Najib is going upstairs? He must be privy to the real contents of the discussion between Pak Lah and Najib. If Muhyiddin as vice president does not know, it can mean that he is out of Najib’s equation. He has no future under Najib. Can any one imagine Zahid Hamidi going against Najib?

Muhyidin must now re-strategise. He will have no option other than contesting for the deputy president’s post. He should interpret Zahid Hamidi’s bid for the DP as a signal that Najib intends to sideline him. He must therefore fight back.

Or he can decide to go for broke and contest the president’s post because the agreement between the president and deputy president is not binding on anyone.

If he offers himself as president he can always justify it by saying, that post is vacant anyway.

Or he can ally himself with Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and offer Malaysia a better future.