Azmi Hassan of Akademi Nusantara and Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid believe the trio are favourites to win the race, given their prominence at the national level.
Fauzi said Kiandee, the Beluran MP, has an additional edge as he is currently the sole non-Muslim MP in Bersatu’s leadership, making him invaluable to the party as it seeks to position itself as multi-religious and multicultural.
Azmi said electing Kiandee and Radzi, the two incumbent vice-presidents, would maintain the status quo in the party, ensuring its stability.
He said Faizal’s endorsement by Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin stands him in good stead to secure the third VP slot.
“I think that the two (Kiandee and Radzi) will be able to defend their posts, while Bersatu delegates will abide by the wishes of the party president,” he told FMT.
In July, Muhyiddin said that Faizal had agreed to give up the deputy presidency in favour of opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin, and would vie for vice-presidency instead.
The six-cornered race for the three vice-presidents’ posts in the party also involves Bersatu information chief Razali Idris, Kuang assemblyman Rafiq Abdullah and Batu Kawan Bersatu chief Aziss Zainal Abiddin.
Azmi said another contest to watch out for was the tussle among 80 candidates for 20 seats on the party’s Supreme Council.
“The Supreme Council is very, very important here as it is the decision-making body,” he said. “The youth and women’s wings, not so much.”
Recently, a Bersatu insider told FMT that the party polls were shaping up to be a proxy war between Hamzah and Azmin Ali, despite the latter not running for any central leadership post.
Azmi said there was nothing extraordinary about the existence of different camps during party elections, adding this is usually driven by the political ambition of individuals who seek to widen their influence and grip on the party.
“There’s nothing wrong with that, though it will in a way split the party into two, whether you’re with Azmin or Hamzah,” he added.
Azmi expects Hamzah’s camp to win the lion’s share of seats on the Supreme Council, citing the opposition leader’s seniority.
Fauzi, however, said he saw little proof of a proxy war between the two senior Bersatu leaders. In any case, he said it is important that the party maintain a united front in the eyes of the public.
If indeed a proxy war is being fought, Fauzi predicts that Azmin’s faction is likely to come out tops, citing his appeal to the young generation.
“It’s this potential for party rejuvenation after the old guard is gone that presents Bersatu a reasonable chance at sustaining itself in the face of existential challenges,” said Fauzi.