Mahathir denies Razaleigch talks

Mahathir denies Razaleigch talks

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has denied rumors of conciliatory talks with a splinter party led by an arch-rival, but said the opposition group was free to rejoin his ruling party, a report said yesterday.

"Those are still rumors. There is no truth in it," Mahathir was quoted saying in the New Straits Times daily when asked if he had met with Semangat 46 president Razaleigh Hamzah.

But Razaleigh, a former trade minister in Mahathir's cabinet who tried to wrest control of the ruling United Malays National Organization (UMNO) in 1987, would have to make the first move, the prime minister said.

"We do not need to put out the red carpet," Mahathir told reporters, adding: "He can think for himself."

Razaleigh's Semangat 46, a party of former UMNO members, has ruled Malaysia's sole opposition Kelantan state with the fundamentalist Parti Islam since 1990, but cracks have begun to show in the partnership.

Although Razaleigh insists ties with the Parti Islam are still firm, his aides have complained of a lack of consultation in state religious rulings and indicated that a split might be imminent.

Razaleigh himself said earlier this month he was willing to work with all parties for the sake of ethnic Malay unity.

"We are just a small party ... the big man (UMNO) should make the move," he told reporters.

But Mahathir, who has several times tried to bring Semangat 46 back into the UMNO fold, was this time more reticent.

"Those who subscribe to the (UMNO) principles can join the party and need not be invited," he said.