Muffled internal campaign reveals deep rifts in UMNO<\/p>\n
By Bill Tarrant<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuter): Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir
\nMohamad's usually boisterous political party is holding triennial
\npolls next month, but no one would ever know it by the campaign
\nso far -- or, more to the point, the lack of one.<\/p>\n
Mahathir has decreed a total ban on campaigning, citing the
\ncorrosive influence of "money politics", or vote buying, and the
\nneed to maintain party unity.<\/p>\n
Mahathir and his ambitious and charismatic deputy, Anwar
\nIbrahim, have made a pact not to challenge each other at this
\nyear's United Malays National Organization (UMNO) convention. But
\nthat just means the battle is being fought by proxy through their
\nfollowers, analysts say.<\/p>\n
"At UMNO election time the only issue is whether to elect
\nnumber one's men or number two's men. Other issues don't exist,"
\nsaid an academician and UMNO member who did not want to be named.<\/p>\n
By convention, the president and deputy president also occupy
\nthe posts of prime minister and deputy prime minister. Thus, many
\npolitical analysts view the triennial UMNO elections as more
\nsignificant than a general election.<\/p>\n
The UMNO-dominated National Front coalition has ruled Malaysia
\nsince independence from Britain nearly 40 years ago, and it has
\nwon all elections since by landslides.<\/p>\n
"While there is no contest for the top two posts, the polls
\nhave, nonetheless, attracted interest because of the evident
\ntensions in the relations between the prime minister and his
\ndeputy," said IDEA, an independent British research firm in a
\ncommentary on the elections.<\/p>\n
While the deputy president is the deputy prime minister and
\nalso inherits the leadership positions, Mahathir, at 70, shows no
\nsign of wanting to retire.<\/p>\n
Anwar, 49, stampeded the last UMNO election convention in
\n1993, ousting the previous number two, Ghafar Baba. Mahathir, to
\nhis apparent displeasure, was left watching on the sidelines as
\nAnwar took control of the convention.<\/p>\n
Mahathir wants to make sure nothing like that happens this
\ntime around, political analysts said.<\/p>\n
Some 200 candidates are vying for three vice presidencies, 25
\npositions on the Supreme Council and the heads of the youth and
\nwomen's wings of the party.<\/p>\n
The ban on campaigning was imposed after the party leadership
\ncaught wind of the fact that some delegates to the party general
\nassembly, scheduled for Oct. 9-12, were willing to sell their
\nvotes to the candidates.<\/p>\n
Mahathir complained last month that hotels in Kuala Lumpur
\nwere "full of people tossing money around".<\/p>\n
Anwar announced that those found guilty of even minor offenses
\nof money politics would be disqualified for contesting for
\noffice.<\/p>\n
The official list of confirmed candidates was due out last
\nweek but has been delayed.<\/p>\n
UMNO Secretary General and Information Minister Mohamed Rahmat
\nsaid the party leadership was still investigating allegations of
\ncampaign irregularities against some candidates.<\/p>\n
Few candidates are speaking publicly and their usual practice
\nof holding sponsored seminars, officiating at grand openings and
\njockeying for air time on the nightly news has all but ceased.
\nNewspaper reporters complain they have no race to cover.<\/p>\n
The early favorites in the vice presidential races are led by
\nEducation Minister Najib Abdul Razak who, at 43, is considered a
\nrival to Anwar as the party's future leader.<\/p>\n
Foreign Minister Abdullah Badawi and Defence Minister Syed
\nHamid Albar, both considered Mahathir's men, are also
\nfrontrunners for the other two vice presidencies, analysts said.<\/p>\n
The battles for the youth and women's wings will also be
\nwatched closely. International Trade and Industry Minister
\nRafidah Aziz -- another Anwar rival who was cleared in a share
\nallocation scandal last year -- is being challenged for the
\nwomen's top post.<\/p>\n
Youth chairman Rahim Tamby Chik, a staunch Mahathir supporter
\nwho was acquitted of sex and corruption charges in separate
\ntrials last year, has several challengers.<\/p>",
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