Ku Li: I am in for the presidency

KUALA LUMPUR: A battle royal is shaping up for the Umno presidency with Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah throwing his hat in.

The Kelantan prince’s main opponent will be Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, the party vice-president now handling the duties of the president following Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s resignation last month.

The 81-year-old Razaleigh’s influence in the party will be put to the test again, after having famously challenged for the top post in 1987 only to be edged out by a mere 43 votes.

As for Dr Ahmad Zahid, it will be his first attempt for the presidency.

The third challenger so far is relatively unknown – businessman and blogger Rahmat Azim Abdul Aziz.

Nominations for the June 30 Umno polls close today.

Dr Ahmad Zahid, who is the Bagan Datuk division chairman, was the first to announce his candidacy for the No. 1 post.

Tengku Razaleigh confirmed his candidacy during a press conference at his home in Jalan Langgak Golf here yesterday.

It is a known fact that his political expe­rience commands much respect among party members, while Dr Ahmad Zahid is known to have strong grassroots support.

Last December, the Umno general assembly saw a motion of “no contest” approved for the party’s top two posts, which has since become null and void following Barisan Nasional’s defeat in the general election.

Razaleigh, who is Gua Musang Umno division chief, said he was contesting after seeing Umno’s current predicament.

“I made the decision in the interest of Umno as a national political party that should uphold racial unity and maintain harmony as the core principles of the nation.

“I want to ensure that Umno can be an effective Opposition. At the same time, I will ensure the interests of the party grassroots are protected,” pledged the party elder, who is fondly known as Ku Li.

Also at the conference were Umno supreme council members Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Gha­­ni and Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nor­din, who are both contesting the vice-presidency.

Their presence sparked off talk that they would form a pact for the polls, but Tengku Razaleigh said “there is no need for that”, adding that there was only “Team Umno”.

Johari, who is one of eight candidates for the Umno vice-president’s post, said: “My presence in Tengku Razaleigh’s house is because he invited me. And, since this area falls under Titiwangsa and I am the Umno division chief for the area, I turned up.

“It is important that regardless of the outcome of the polls, we support the winners, and those who’ve lost must also band toget­her and stay within the party.

“Umno cannot afford to be a split party; we need more people to contribute to the betterment of the party.”

After Tengku Razaleigh lost to then party president Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 1987, Umno suffered a serious split after the former cried foul over the result.

The courts later declared Umno illegal, for­cing Dr Mahathir to set up Umno Baru while Tengku Razaleigh formed a splinter party, Parti Melayu Semangat 46, in 1989.