Malaysia ruling party to choose leaders at meeting

Malaysia's ruling party delegates gathered Tuesday for a historic congress to choose a virtually new set of leaders, one year after the old guard presided over its most humiliating election drubbing ever.

Hundreds of party members streamed into a conference center next to the headquarters of the United Malays National Organization party to register for a five-day general assembly scheduled to start later Tuesday.

This congress "is very, very important. It ... will set the future direction of UMNO," said Mohamad Mustafa Ishak, a political analyst at North Malaysia University. "This will serve as an indicator whether UMNO is changing or not."

UMNO, as the dominant party in the ruling National Front coalition, has been in power since independence in 1957. But never has it appeared more vulnerable as now - riven with infighting, corruption and favoritism, it is rapidly losing voter support and is left to govern a country facing an almost certain recession.

"This is the most critical time in the history of UMNO," said Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is set to be promoted to the prime minister's post during the congress.

"We need to accept this challenge by making massive changes to the party and the government. If we are not brave enough to change, we will be changed by the people," he said in an interview with party newspapers on Sunday.

More than 2,500 delegates will attend the congress to elect top party leaders, including its president, deputy president, three vice presidents, 25 supreme council members and heads of the party's youth and women's wings.

Najib will be elected unopposed as the party president, a post that traditionally carries with it the office of prime minister.

Najib will replace Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, but no date has been set for the han-over although it is widely believed to be on April 2 or 3.

Abdullah was forced by dissidents to step down to accept blame for the National Front's abysmal showing in the March 2008 general elections. It failed to win its customary two-thirds majority in Parliament and conceded control of an unprecedented five states to the opposition.

Much of the voter anger was directed at UMNO, which is widely perceived as corrupt and inefficient by all races, including the Malays who form its main power base. Its leaders are considered out of touch with the people, especially the minorities who see them as racists responsible for fueling a religious and ethnic divide in the country. The party is also accused of subverting the judiciary, the police force and the bureaucracy.

Party leaders acknowledge that failure to reform will almost certainly lead to an opposition victory in the next elections, due in 2013. They say th best person to restore the party's popularity is Najib, the son of a former prime minister and the nephew of another.

Still, some in the party consider him a liability, and most opposition supporters think of him as a terrible choice.

The alternative online media - the mainstream media are controlled by the government - are agog with allegations of corruption against Najib including a French submarine deal concluded when he was defense minister. He has also been repeatedly linked to the 2006 slaying of a Mongolian woman, although Najib has denied this.

A close friend of Najib's was tried for abetting hr murder but was acquitted, and two policemen are awaiting a verdict after being tried.

"A prime minister must have the confidence of the majority of the rakyat (public). In order for this to be the case, his integrity must be beyond question," said former Law Minister Zaid Ibrahim.

"Withot intending any accusation, it is regrettable that in the collective mind of the rakyat, Najib is not such a person," said Zaid, who resigned last year after failing to push through judicial reforms.

The party elections will be closely watched to see how many of Najib's confidantes get elected. Among them is International Trade and Industry Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who is contesting the post of deputy president. If elected, he will become the deputy prime minister.