KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's Wanita UMNO chief Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said on Wednesday she hopes to defend her position if the ruling Barisan Nasional wins big in the coming general election. She said whether she is fielded as a candidate or not, she is focused on leading the women's wing to help the ruling coalition win the polls. Shahrizat, who was former Minister of Women, Family and Community Development, was speaking at the opening of the annual congress of Wanita UMNO in Kuala Lumpur. She vowed to fight for the women delegates who had stood by her during the scandal involving her family members that robbed her of her ministerial post. Shahrizat said: “As long as I'm up here, believe me when I tell you that if you could stand by me when I was down and sad, I promise you now that I'll lead you all to success, especially in your political careers.” The past year has been tough for the women's chief. Although she was cleared of any personal wrongdoing, and later survived a leadership challenge by her deputy Kamilia Ibrahim, her image was tainted. Still, she intends to defend her party post, even if she's not named as a ruling party candidate in the general election due by April. UMNO must hold its own party elections by September next year. Shahrizat said: “I should deliver to Najib a strong disciplined and strategic jentera (machinery), whether I become calon (candidate) is secondary.” For the women's wing to be effective, Shahrizat needs to bring its different factions together. “Regardless of what has happened, I love Kamilia like I love my own family. I hope she loves me as if I'm her younger sister,” she said. Wanita UMNO's deputy chief was ambivalent. Kamilia Ibrahim, Deputy Chief of Wanita UMNO, said: “Well, if somebody wants to be a sister, why not?” Rafidah Aziz, a former Wanita UMNO chief and cabinet minister, reminded the delegates of the need to be united. “We never talk about those things. We're talking about the party as one unity,” she said. The unannounced appearance of Prime Minister Najib Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor at the congress bolstered support for Shahrizat. Najib, who heads the ruling Barisan Nasional, urged all sides to close ranks and rally behind him in what he called “the battle of survival.” Wanita UMNO have 1.3 million members accounting for over a third of the entire UMNO membership. The women are considered the backbone of the party which Najib is counting on if he wants to win big in the coming general election.
