Razaleigh ends rivalry with PM Mahathir

Razaleigh ends rivalry with PM Mahathir

KUALA LUMPUR (Agencies): Malaysian opposition strongman Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah said yesterday he was ready to return to Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's party, ending nine years of bitter political rivalry between the two.

"Malay unity would not be complete if all Malay factions in the country don't unite," Razaleigh told reporters after announcing that his Spirit of '46 party was willing to merge with Mahathir's United Malays National Organization (UMNO).

"I'd also like to make it clear that we did not ask for anything in return for this reunification bid," added Razaleigh, a former finance minister in Mahathir's cabinet.

UMNO, the lynchpin of Malaysia's ruling National Front coalition, celebrates its 50th anniversary this weekend and speculation had been rife that Razaleigh would rejoin the party.

Mahathir told reporters on Wednesday that Razaleigh, in a meeting with him, expressed a desire to return to UMNO's fold at some point in the future.

Razaleigh confirmed Mahathir's statement, made late Wednesday, that he was rejoining the party he left nine years ago but said he would only do so "en bloc" with the rest of his Spirit 46 splinter party.

"It's not Tengku (Prince) Razaleigh who is important. We need to take all members of 46 to join," he told a press conference at his house here.

But the former finance minister laughed off talk that he was being brought back by Mahathir to keep Mahathir's deputy Anwar Ibrahim in line.

"I'm a simple little chap," Razaleigh said.

"I am not going in for anything," he added, stressing that Semangat had "not asked for anything" in return for joining UMNO.

Razaleigh left UMNO in 1987 to form the opposition party after a bruising bid to oust Mahathir as UMNO president -- a post that traditionally allows its holder to become premier.

He has since been a constant critic of Mahathir's government, alleging widespread corruption, and in 1990 formed an alliance with opposition Parti Islam to wrest northeastern Kelantan state from UMNO control.

Razaleigh's return follows the break-up of his party's ties with PAS in the sole opposition state. He could potentially bring with him 400,000 Semangat members to bolster UMNO's 2.4 million.

Razaleigh brushed off suggestions that his and Mahathir's troubled past would impede cooperation.

"I never had any differences with Dr. Mahathir," he said. He said he had only disagreed with Mahathir's policies.

Deputy Premier Anwar said earlier yesterday he did not feel threatened by Mahathir's move to bring Razaleigh back, dismissing talk that Razaleigh's presence would check his influence.

"I wouldn't want to sound over-confident but I think that (position in UMNO) is certainly not the issue," Anwar told reporters.

"The principle that we have upheld so far is to welcome everybody into the party," he added.

Anwar, whose supporters have been reported in recent months as anxious for their patron to take over from Mahathir quickly, said he supported the move by Razaleigh to rejoin UMNO "as long as it does not create a faction within the party."

Razaleigh later responded to Anwar's comment, alluding to already present factions. "We all pray for that," he said, "that factions that exist in UMNO today will also not exist."

Analysts said Razaleigh's return could affect the political influence of Anwar, whose supporters have made no secret their desire to have their 47-year-old patron replace the 72-year-old premier.

The party has already given its blessing for Mahathir and Anwar to be returned unopposed as president and deputy president respectively in the party's triennial polls in October.

UMNO is the backbone of the ruling 14-member National Front coalition. The party has ruled the country since independence in 1957 and holds its 50th anniversary tomorrow.