<b>ZUBAIDAH ABU BAKAR:</b> Lobbyists all out to woo delegates

CAMPAIGNING for the Umno elections has found its way to Parliament. While aspirants do not openly campaign there, a handful of self-proclaimed "lobbyists" are now often seen in the building whenever the Dewan Rakyat is in session.

For those who are familiar with these faces, they are quite easily spotted -- in the cafeteria for instance -- trading information, cross-checking facts with one another or merely mingling with aides of cabinet ministers and deputy ministers.

While those already "working for someone" could be seen playing their roles in earnest, the others were simply pitching for potential "employers". And they tend to be quite choosy as to who they would work for as there are many among the Umno lawmakers who are keen to contest in the December party polls.

Using the services of these lobbyists or campaign managers, as some prefer to call themselves, is an acceptable practice in Umno. It has been going on for a long time although some say this norm breeds money politics in the party.

These lobbyists are also widely recognised in Umno circles as people who can make or break aspirants, being quite adept in pushing for certain candidates to get elected, or equally skilled at thwarting the rise of ambitious leaders by destroying their credibility.

And, of course, they work for money.

Those who engage them regard them as useful bargaining tools, as it is widely believed that they have information on the unfavourable sides of certain party leaders.

A couple of them, who are bloggers, claim they are in Parliament to update their blogs with the proceedings in the House.

"I will be here throughout the parliamentary session," says a KL-based lobbyist, who also blogs.

Have they abandoned their usual haunts -- coffee houses, roadside cafes and mamak shops?

No, these activities have not stopped either. In fact, they are getting interesting as one put it, since "party leaders from all over the country are in town".

"It's convenient to operate in Parliament, given the fact that everybody is here," says another, referring to the incumbents and prospective candidates.

The main party elections are more than six months away but to the aspirants, time is running short as they need to touch base with people with influence in the 191 divisions throughout the country. This has to be done before the divisional elections from Oct 9 to Nov 9, where nominations for posts of party president, deputy president, three vice-presidents and 25 supreme council seats will be made.

They cannot afford to take chances for fear of losing out to their opponents.

So far, only Umno president aspirant Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir, who is going for the Umno Youth chief post, have campaigned openly at the divisional level to garner support for their candidacy.

Most leaders do it in a more subtle manner -- sending out feelers through trusted aides to the grassroots and through SMSes that they are offering themselves as candidates.

They have to make their intentions known early because of the quota system of nominations that requires them to get certain percentage of nominations to be eligible to contest.

There are also worries over rivalries among division leaders in some states and some foresee excessive jostling for the G7 -- the seven representatives elected by each division to attend and vote at the central party elections.

And this is one of the lobbyist's job as well -- to get supporters of the leaders they work for to be elected as G7 delegates.

ZUBAIDAH ABU BAKAR: Lobbyists all out to woo delegates