Blood, says the proverb, is thicker than water. And that is how Umno Youth chief Hishammuddin Hussein Onn comes into the spotlight as the ruling party undergoes a power transition in October.

Hishamuddin - related to the Defence Minister Najib Razak - took over the leadership of the Youth wing in 2000, seven years after Najib vacated it to contest for the vice-presidency as part of the 'vision team' led by jailed ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim.

Najib and Hishammuddin are both cousins as their mothers are sisters.

Since then, Umno Youth has always been regarded as a staunch supporter of Najib in the party and government.

Though Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has named Najib as his preferred choice to be Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's deputy, the fear is that the latter may have someone else in mind.

If such a situation comes to a head, and Hishamudin is forced to make the choice, the question is to whom would he throw his support - Pak Lah or his cousin?

Hishammuddin's neutrality

"You may realise that, of late, Hishamuddin wants to remain neutral in his actions and decisions, And his neutrality indeed worries both Najib and Pak Lah," said a party source.

Political observers do not rule out the possibility of Pak Lah appointing a candidate other than Najib as his deputy as a move to check the latter's influence in the party.

"And at the same time, Pak Lah will use Najib as a check against his chosen deputy," said a political observer.

He believes that Hishammuddin would be the 'primary determiner' in consoling Najib's supporters if Pak Lah opts for another candidate.

"Many see the Umno Youth - which command about a quarter of the party membership - as primary resource of support for Najib in the party. Any effort to neutralise it would be bad for Najib.

"That's why Najib's supporters want Hishammuddin to continue leading the youth wing and persuade him not to contest for the vice-presidency in the coming party election," he added

To find out more about Najib's chances as Pak Lah's number two man, read the latest issue of Analysis Malaysia.