KUALA LUMPUR-- Delegates to the recently-concluded triennial elections of Malaysia's top political party have voted according to their conscience, sending a strong signal to party president, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, that they prefer their leaders who can reach out to the grassroots of the politically-dominant Malay community, even as they continue to support his agenda for a strong, elitist-based government.
Mahathir has taken note of their wishes, which are reflected in the election of all three vice presidents and 10 of the 25 members of the supreme council, the highest policymaking body of the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), the backbone of the ruling National Front (NF) coalition government.
But how the Malaysian premier would respond in his next move will only be clear in the few months ahead as developments unfold. The desire to elect more proactive and articulate leaders voicing the sentiment of the grassroots in UMNO, though muted, was already in the air when about 2,000 delegates converged at the party headquarters in Kuala Lumpur on May 10-13 for the annual general assembly of the party.