Nothing is constant except change, more so in the leadership of political parties. Change is a natural process, is inevitable, unless times stands still. Understanding and accepting this process is important for the Malays to ensure the continuity of their existing dominance in politics and economy.

It is said that the attributes that future leaders of Umno need are "the tolerance and moderation of Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, the patience of Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, the discipline of Tun Hussein Onn and the vision of Dr Mahathir Mohamad."

If the next generation of Umno leaders can acquire these qualities, then Malaysians are reassured of their future. However, party elections are the best time to test if one is still wanted, or to see how stubborn one could remain.

To some, party elections could be the springboard to undreamt-of heights in political adventures. Today, people see a lot of prestige, opportunity and even power to be gained by winning a post in Umno. But it is not just that there are perks that come with it.

Therefore, Umno now have a membership composition of mixed ambitions some who wish to serve and some to get onboard the gravy train.

When new members join Umno, their goal seems simple: to contribute to the party.

But in the ensuing years, as they work hard for the party, reality sets in and the objectives grow to be far more complicated.

So over the years, they subtly shift their goals. The result has been a muddying of objectives that brought the party the problems it is facing now, including money politics.

Glue that binds Umno

A power shift within Umno itself follows. It's not so much a power struggle but a battle between two generations, with the younger members trying to get their place in the party leadership.

But in the process, the incumbents should be accorded the respect and dignity that experienced political leaders deserve. And at the same time, both generations will have to learn the art of sacrifice. It's not a question of action but of attitude.

This is the glue which will hold Umno's diverse elements together, and freeze the unnecessary power struggle within the party. Then the question of incumbents winning or losing would not arise. Even if they lose, they will still be respected leaders, naturally.

And the white-haired figures appearing at every general assembly as the party's special guests, would remind the current generation of Umno of their contribution to the party's struggle. Umno needs to return to morality and tradition. In 1987, the party paid heavily for its lack of organisation and unity, Umno must not repeat this mistake.

To this, the late Dr Tan Chee Khoon wrote in his column, 'Without fear and favour' in The Star: "I have stated several times in this column that it will be terrible for any country if all the MPs or the Cabinet ministers are university graduates with no one with only a primary or secondary education. Ideally there should be mixture of university graduates and those without a tertiary education who have made good in life the hard way. The latter category of leaders are those who have the common touch and grassroots support."

Historical contributions to the development of Umno cannot be overemphasised. Nothing appears on the present surface that did not have its roots deep in the past, and for this reason, genuine historical studies are an indispensable part of Umno's political development.

Power-brokers

While many waxed lyrical about the 'spirit of party unity', several veteran Umno leaders injected a note of concern, saying issues of money politics still remain unresolved. The market economy has eaten away at the invulnerability of ideology and morality as well as the loyalty of members to the party.

The role of power-brokers in a money-oriented political environment is significant. Abetted by an inherent capacity for organisational self-renewal, a clearly defined line of succession in the leadership might diminish the influence of power-brokers.

But it will not eliminate their role altogether. This is because the power-brokers are political chameleons who are astute politicians and can change the character of factionalism as they themselves change in response to their environment.

And their environment is increasingly sophisticated and subjected to the vagaries of shifting loyalty which often transcends the boundary of ideological persuasion.

The fact is, political game is a double-edged sword; if you're not careful, you'll lose your finger. As such, in theory, the party should be able to handle everything. But along the way, you'll have to build up your antibodies.

This is the final part of a four-part series produced in conjunction with the Umno annual general meeting which is being held at the Putra World Trade Centre for four days beginning Tuesday.