Razaleigh Admits He May Have Been Cause Of BN Electoral Loss In Kelantan

KOTA BAHARU, April 26 (Bernama) -- Gua Musang Member of Parliament Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah has admitted that he might have been a factor for the defeat of the Barisan Nasional (BN) in Kelantan in the general election last month.
The Gua Musang Umno Division chief said the coalition's loss could have been due to his having cooperated with PAS in the general election in 1990 when he was helming Parti Semangat 46, which resulted in PAS capturing Kelantan from the BN.
"It could be right. He has said so. He is a prominent person; he can say that," he told reporters after launching a Maulidur Rasul event at the Balai Islam here last night.
Tengku Razaleigh was commenting on a statement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on April 6 that Tengku Razaleigh was the reason why Kelantan fell to PAS and why the BN had failed to recapture the state until today.
Abdullah had said that the former finance minister was given the opportunity to helm Kelantan Umno and BN in the general election in 1999 but that effort also failed and Kelantan Umno reported that Tengku Razaleigh did not help out in the last general election.
Tengku Razaleigh said he had his own reasons why Kelantan BN lost in the March 8 general election but, when pressed by reporters, he said he would make an announcement when the time came.
On his announced intention to contest the Umno presidency in the party elections in December, Tengku Razaleigh said he would continue to work towards contesting the post to set a new direction for Umno.
He said he believed that there would be no split in the party but that if he did not act immediately, any crack in the party would only get worse.
Tengku Razaleigh also said that he would not have to cooperate with former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad because they had differing views.
He said he wanted to take over the post of Umno president in a democratic manner at the party's general assembly at the end of the year as it was the right platform to do so than, as Dr Mahathir believed, in asking Abdullah to step down.
Tengku Razaleigh said his intention to contest the post was also to develop the east coast states to enable the people there to enjoy development just like those in the other states.
He hoped that Umno members throughout the country would support him in his quest to contest the post of party president.
Tengku Razaleigh, 71, is the longest-serving member of parliament. He has never lost in the elections since 1974 when his seat was then called Ulu Kelantan. The name was changed to Gua Musang in 1986.
He also reiterated his call for the quota system of the Umno elections to be abolished, thus doing away with the need to garner a sufficient number of nominations for anyone to contest posts.
According to regulations approved at a special Umno general assembly in October 1988, nominations of up to 30 per cent (from 57 of the 191 divisions) are necessary to contest the post of president, 20 per cent (38 divisions) for the post of deputy president, 10 per cent (19 divisions) for the post of vice-presidents and five per cent (10 divisions) for supreme council posts.
Nominations of 20 per cent (38 divisions) are needed to contest the posts of Wanita Umno chief, Umno Youth chief and Puteri Umno chief and 15 per cent (28 divisions) for the posts of Wanita Umno vice-head, Umno Youth vice-head and Puteri Umno vice-head.

Mukhriz Welcomes Ku Li's Intention To Contest Umno President's Post

MACHANG, April 26 (Bernama) -- Umno youth executive council member Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir welcomes former Finance Minister Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah's intention to contest the Umno presidency in the party elections in December.
"Not just Tengku Razaleigh... Deputy Umno President Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and the vice-presidents can also contest for the post," he told reporters after attending a forum on the results of the March 8 general election.
Tengku Razaleigh, who is Gua Musang member of parliament, has said that he wanted to contest for the post if he had sufficient nominations.
Mukhriz said contest for the top post should be allowed so that party members would be able to choose a leader whom they think was capable of restoring the party's strength.
He said as far as possible, however, the leadership transition should be done in accordance with the tradition in Umno, by having the president handing over the post to his deputy.
But if there were contest for the top post, it should be done in a manner that would not cause disunity in the party, he said.

tunku : kelantan umno has never been unite since pas took over and believe me they are more comfortable to be the opposition there than being the government as they receive development fund directly to them from the hq. but now with 5+1 states being held by the opposition things might change as they can't concentrate on kelantan alone anymore. nothing to do with kuli factor, yes it was kuli factor in 1990, after that it was the kelantan umno itself. mukhriz still hoping for smooth transition to happen which is not happening soon.so the best way is challenge the president in december,who ever dares, kuli already announced for the battle, let see if others are brave to follow.