Finally, Khairy Jamaluddin has received enough nominations to contest for the top post in Umno Youth.

The stage is now set for a massive showdown between himself and Mukhriz Mahathir, while the dark horse of the contest, Dr Mohd Khir Toyo, has yet to qualify.

Khairy was the initial favourite to win but Mukhriz became the first to qualify just two weeks after the 191 Umno Youth divisions began meeting earlier this month.

Meanwhile, former Selangor Mentri Besar Mohd Khir Toyo is inching closer to making the contest a three-cornered fight by bagging 36 nominations so far. He will need another three to qualify.

Two nods today

pencalonan pemuda 251008Khairy today received his 39th and 40th nomination from the Tangga Batu and Gua Musang division respectively, surpassing the 39 nominations needed to qualify.

The Gua Musang Youth division had previously nominated Khir for the post, but since the meeting was declared null and void, a fresh meeting was called today and Khairy was nominated.

Mukhriz, the son of former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad, however still leads with 64 nominations.

Observers has called the Mukhriz-Khairy contest a proxy fight because the latter’s father in law and Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is at odds with Mahathir.

Even more intense screening now

Khairy was pleased to have obtained the necessary qualification and said the hard work had just started for him.

"I am pleased to have qualified given the level of scrutiny I have had to go through, from the time I entered the political arena in 1999," he told Malaysiakini.

"I shall subject myself now to an even more intense screening not just by delegates to the Pemuda Umno general assembly but all Malaysians who have encountered a range of stories, good and bad, about me.

"I accept that the onus is on me to explain my convictions and reasons for offering myself as a prospective leader," he added.

Najib 80, Muhyiddin 54, Mohd Ali 17, Muhd Taib 11
Mukhriz 65, Khairy 44, Khir Toyo 36