Jostling under way to succeed Mahathir<\/p>\n
By Nelson Graves<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters): The race to succeed Malaysian Prime
\nMinister Mahathir Mohamad is under way, and a former adversary
\nwho spent years in the political wilderness is building momentum.<\/p>\n
Mahathir told party faithful on Sunday he was under pressure
\nto choose a deputy prime minister to replace his former heir-
\napparent Anwar Ibrahim, sacked in September and now facing
\ncriminal charges which he denies.<\/p>\n
Mahathir had wanted to keep the post vacant until his United
\nMalays National Organization (UMNO) chooses a deputy party
\npresident to succeed Anwar at party elections set for mid-1999.<\/p>\n
Since Malaysia won independence from Britain in 1957, the
\nprime minister has always been UMNO chief and the deputy party
\nleader has traditionally been deputy prime minister.<\/p>\n
But Mahathir, who turns 73 on Dec. 20, has been forced to
\nreconsider his earlier decision, which was to wait until mid-
\n1999.<\/p>\n
The prime minister, who had heart bypass surgery in 1989,
\ncited familiar concerns over a smooth transition of power should
\nhis health deteriorate.<\/p>\n
"I have made a statement that I will wait until next year when
\nselection is made, but many have different opinions," he told
\nreporters on Sunday.<\/p>\n
"That is, we should not wait too long because if something
\nwere to happen to me, what will happen? So, that are the worries
\nof the people."<\/p>\n
As he spoke, dozens of policemen and riot police ringed UMNO
\nheadquarters in a reminder of the sporadic anti-government street
\ndemonstrations that have taken place in the capital since Anwar's
\nsacking. There was no protest on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Political analysts and diplomats said criticism among UMNO
\nrank and file over Anwar's sacking no doubt contributed to
\nMahathir's decision to consider picking a deputy.<\/p>\n
They cite anecdotal evidence from UMNO divisions showing a
\nworrisome loss of support since the charismatic Anwar was ousted,
\narrested and produced in court with a black eye.<\/p>\n
Mahathir acknowledged to foreign fund managers last week that
\nthere were worries over succession now that the erstwhile prime-
\nminister-in-waiting, Anwar, had been sidelined.<\/p>\n
He said the selection of a new deputy could restore confidence
\nin Malaysia's political stability, which until Anwar's fall from
\npower and the imposition of capital controls had been one of the
\nnation's trump cards in drawing foreign investment.<\/p>\n
Asked what type of person he would tap as deputy, Mahathir
\nresponded with trademark sarcasm: "Exact replica of myself if it
\nis possible."<\/p>\n
No one expects the irrepressible Mahathir to find a clone
\nafter 17 years in power.<\/p>\n
Instead, party members were sifting through his weekend
\nremarks to find a clue to his thinking. For some, a comment at
\nthe end of his speech on Sunday stood out.<\/p>\n
"Remember, in politics there are no permanent friends and no
\npermanent enemies. There is no certainty that we are going to
\nsupport the same candidates in future elections. We have a
\nproverb which says, 'The shore will change according to the
\ntide.'"<\/p>\n
That comment, some said, could apply to Tengku Razaleigh
\nHamzah, once Mahathir's political nemesis.<\/p>\n
"There has been a wave of support for Razaleigh," a diplomat
\nsaid. A businessman noted that stocks linked to Razaleigh's name
\nincluding diversified Malayan United Industries Bhd (MUI) surged
\nlast Friday on talk he might be named.<\/p>\n
Razaleigh, 62, once served in Mahathir's government but the
\ntwo men became bitter rivals and engaged in a fierce contest in
\n1987 that split the politically dominant ethnic Malays.<\/p>\n
A former finance minister and a member of a royal family,
\nRazaleigh joined forces with other opposition parties to try to
\ntopple Mahathir in the 1990 general election. Razaleigh failed,
\nand later rejoined UMNO in 1996.<\/p>\n
Analysts said Razaleigh appeared to have several advantages
\nover the two other front-runners, Foreign Minister Abdullah Ahmad
\nBadawi and Education Minister Najib Abdul Razak.<\/p>\n
Razaleigh was head of oil giant Petronas and Bank Bumiputra
\nbefore serving as finance minister, giving him a solid grounding
\nin the economy. "He is well liked among the ethnic Chinese
\nbusiness community," a local business leader said.<\/p>\n
As he is not in the cabinet, he has not had to engage in
\nbashing Anwar, giving him an edge among UMNO members
\nuncomfortable with the ousted minister's fate.<\/p>\n
Razaleigh is from the northeastern state of Kelantan, ruled by
\nthe Islamic fundamentalist PAS party. It is the only state not
\ngoverned by Mahathir's coalition.<\/p>\n
"He carries the princely title 'Tengku', and has great
\npersonal charm," a businessman said.<\/p>\n
Said a Western diplomat: "He has serious quantities of
\npersonal wealth. A cash injection into UMNO's coffers would not
\ngo amiss."<\/p>",
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