By Neville Spykerman [Malaysian Insider]
Umno will lose if it fails to reform, charges the Kelantan prince. — file pic
“Mark my words. If they don’t change in the next three years they are going to lose the next general elections,” the Kelantan prince and Umno veteran told The Malaysian Insider in an interview earlier this week.
The Gua Musang MP, whose views seem increasingly at odds with his own party, pointed out that following Election 2008, BN remained in power only because of support from politicians in Sabah and Sarawak.
In Election 2008, the Umno-led coalition suffered its worse result since Merdeka. It managed 140 parliamentary seats, with Sabah and Sarawak accounting for 55, while the opposition Pakatan Rakyat took 81 seats.
However, the parliamentarian said BN may not always have the support of MPs from East Malaysia.
“They can sway either way, and will support the winner,” said Tengku Razaleigh, who added that Umno was established in Sabah only between 1988 and 1989 while Umno did not exist in Sarawak.
He was also of the view that politicians from East Malaysia joined BN because it was strong and could assure them of their rights.
“Why should they continue to back us? We’re dependent on them,” he said, before adding that they would “watch and see”.
According to him, BN was also facing an uphill battle to regain the support from Malays who were divided, as well as the Chinese.
Right-wing Malay Nationalist group Perkasa’s association with Umno was not helping BN, Tengku Razaleigh pointed out.
“There’s no place for rabid racism,” he said, and claiming that even young Malays were rejecting it.
“The more hard line you are, the more frightened people are.”
As for the opposition, Razaleigh said it “appears to be in disarray” but he has been told that such impressions were because of the way Pakatan was being portrayed in the media.
While on the opposition, Razaleigh also voiced his respect for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“It’s admirable that he has done so well,” he said, adding that the opposition leader had fired up the imagination of voters, particularly with the young.
Despite the bleak outlook for his own party, Tengku Razaleigh said all was not lost for Umno, provided they listened to the people and introduced reforms.
“It’s not too late. The people are crying for change, not just housekeeping.”
Tengku Razaleigh has been described as the conscience of Umno but when asked about this, he responded “I don’t know if I am.”
The maverick politician said he was only doing what was right and reminisced about previous Umno leaders, such as Tun Hussein Onn, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein and Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman, who were respected even by non-Malays.
As for the first prime minister, he said “Tunku (Abdul Rahman) was not only respected but revered.”
He said these past leaders gained the respect of the people, and even of opposition politicians like Lim Kit Siang, by being fair and upholding the Constitution.
“So it’s nothing new, I am just emulating them.”
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