From Straits Times, Singapore, 1st February 2000

NEWS ANALYSIS by BRENDAN PEREIRA IN KUALA LUMPUR

A FEW MONTHS ago, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah was the darling of the media. Posses of local and foreign journalists sought out the man who was going to end Parti Islam Se Malaysia's (PAS) rule in Kelantan and hand the north-east state back to the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) on a platter.

Today, he is learning the harsh truth: saviours who do not deliver have a short shelf life.

Now he is the ungrateful villain who is planning to sow the seeds of disunity in the United Malays National Organisation (Umno) by challenging Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi for the No. 2 post in the party in May.

His less flattering image was highlighted in newspapers over the past few days.

Their undisguised message to him: stay out of the race for the Deputy President's post.

A commentary by an unnamed analyst in The New Straits Times was especially cutting, tracing Tengku Razaleigh's role in the 1987 contest for the President's post that led to the infamous split in the party.

Following an unsuccessful attempt to unseat Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the Kelantanese prince formed Semangat 46.

After two terms in opposition, he disbanded the party and rejoined Umno in 1996.

The political analyst wrote: "On numerous occasions since, he has proclaimed himself as a 'gurkha', a party worker whose interest is in unifying work rather than in eyeing the top post -- the self-styled Gurkha has since ceased to behave and speak like one.

"Instead, Ku Li now seems to be marshalling his forces for a showdown with Abdullah for the No. 2 post.

"Questions abound over the presumed challenge that some think Ku Li is contemplating. Will he declare his bid? Does he consider this a last-ditch attempt to the throne? Does he not acknowledge the credentials of Abdullah? Is he still a 'Gurkha?' "

A day after this article appeared, a writer to Utusan Malaysia's letters column retraced the most difficult period in Umno's history to the late 1980s.

"Recent political developments show that there will be a contest for the Deputy President's post though the Supreme Council has proposed that the top two posts not be contested.

"This situation is very disappointing because a contest will result in disunity," she wrote.

The recent political developments she talks about are public statements by Tengku Razaleigh that Umno must listen to the voices of the young and change.

Party insiders say that he wants to portray himself as the "new face of Umno" -- untainted by the actions of the party leadership over the past 18 months, namely the sacking of Anwar Ibrahim.

They charge that he has been eyeing the No. 2 post for some time now, and signalled so by his actions during the run-up to the elections.

On several occasions when DPM Abdullah Badawi visited Kelantan to campaign, the prince was absent from the receiving party.

"If Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah had delivered Kelantan, he would have declared his interest for the No. 2 post publicly.

"He would have had some legitimacy," says an Umno official. Instead, the former Finance Minister is maintaining a wall of silence on his political ambitions.

Sources say that some branch and divisional leaders have been beating a path to his house to pledge support for his candidacy while he has met several party veterans during buka puasa (breaking of fast) functions, including Tun Ghafar Baba.

But his aides know the perils of empty promises.

In 1987, several Umno leaders promised their support but backed out at the 11th hour, sealing his loss to Dr Mahathir by 47 votes. To contest the No. 2 post, he will need at least 33 nominations from 165 divisions.

Sources say he is hoping that a few of the 75 disgruntled divisional leaders -- disgruntled because they were not made state assembly or parliamentary candidates -- will sponsor his ticket to the fight.

But it is understood that some of these leaders feel that they have much to lose if they place their bets on a politician whose support base in the party is unclear.

On the other hand, Datuk Seri Abdullah has been receiving endorsements from several state Umno leaderships, including the party machinery in Johor and Sabah, who send the most number of delegates to the party elections which will be held in May.

He has also received the support of Datuk Rais Yatim, a former Semangat 46 stalwart.

Perhaps the biggest obstacle to Tengku Razaleigh mounting a strong challenge for the No. 2 position is fatigue.

After almost two years of answering opposition allegations and bridging differences in the party caused by the sacking of Anwar, party members appear not to have the stamina or stomach for another long-drawn battle.

Mr Basir Ismail, an Umno branch member in Terengganu, noted: "We need to concentrate on improving party weaknesses before the next election. Ku Li should try for the Vice-President and forget the Deputy President."

It seems more and more people are trying to nudge him towards this direction.