Tengku Razaleigh and Malaysian politics

 

Tengku Razaleigh has accepted responsibility to become director of operations for the Galas by election. In doing so, TRH has demonstrated that he is a true UMNO man. But if we were to ask him, which UMNO? he will not hesitate the UMNO before DR Mahathir reformatted.

He remains the bedrock to the ideals of the original UMNO. That makes him relevant to UMNO members at large. Among the ills UMNO faces are:-

• The rot in UMNO is has gone so deep that it requires wholesale structural reform.
  
• Corruption is the scourge of the country. UMNO is a step away from being identified with that scourge.
  
• The nomination quota is an undemocratic and unconstitutional restriction. It is against the founding spirit of the party, which was open and grassroots driven.
  
• Today's UMNO, under its present leadership, is probably beyond reform. Our leaders are the problem, and they have structured the party, bullied and bought it, so that they cannot be replaced by those who would lead to serve.
  
• The party succession is now dominated by ethnic champions or party warlords with little else to qualify them to govern a plural society with a sophisticated, trade-oriented economy
  

A few months ago, TRH was for all intents and purposes, declared persona non grata in UMNO. He was the lone dissident voice in UMNO to insist that Kelantan has rights over oil royalty.

Those people waiting for him in the VIP lounge yesterday were the persons who will not be caught seen in the company of Tengku Razaleigh a few months back. Today, those feelings have changed. TRH is coming out smelling like a million roses.

It is generally accepted that TRH holds the balance of victory for the Galas seat. PAS won it marginally during the previous general elections. That victory wasn't definitive possibly because the concentration wasn't there. This time, the appointment of TRH makes it a different ball game altogether.

One, TRH will focus on winning. His greatest asset will be his vocal defense of the Kelantan oil royalty rights. Because TRH is a former Finance Minister and PETRONAS's first chairman make him eminently qualified to speak as authority on the subject. He speaks as a non partisan person, motivated by principles. Hence, the oil money is Kelantan's entitlement because of the principle of honoring a contract which was vouchsafed by none other than our own Parliament.

As a matter of principle , the federal government's refusal to pay Kelantan, and it's arbitrary treatment of Terengganu's oil money – on and off according to whether the state was in Opposition hands – is in violation of a solemn contract, sealed in an Act of Parliament, between the State governments and PETRONAS… This is an attack on the right of the people to choose their own government within our system of parliamentary democracy."

 

The matter is now before the courts. But it was TRH who lent prestige and weight on the matter. That's a political asset. The quest for the oil money is identified with TRH.

Two, Galas is in his parliamentary seat. Now is the time for TRH to redeem the seat from PAS establishing once and for all, he is the numero uno of Gua Musang. This victory will certainly stamp his imprimatur as a statesman.

Three, his supporters will want to win this seat for TRH because of the wider political ramifications within UMNO.

This win will reestablish the political presence of TRH in UMNO politics. That at his age, he remains a beacon of sanity and sense of fairplay. In the present environment where UMNO's credibility has been badly damaged, this win will definitely signal a transformation of UMNO.

How?

For that one has to look at the political ideals of TRH.

He stands for the supremacy of law. In the Perak coup detat, his was the lone voice stating that it is fundamentally wrong to wrest power through unparliamentarily ways. All right thinking UMNO politicians share this idea of rule of law. Opposition politicians and parties will find it difficult to fault TRH here.

This was what he wrote in his blog.

The BN's takeover of Perak has set off a chain-reaction of illegality which has left Perak quite possibly without a legitimate government. One of our most prosperous states has been reduced to a failed state." (Cascading illegality, razaleigh.com; March 4, 2009) "The farcical circumstances of these defections, complete with mysterious disappearances, sudden reversals, and implausible explanations, show ample signs of illegal inducement "To remove and install governments in any other way is to violate the Constitution, erode the rule of law, and to run the risk of forming an illegal government… Legitimate authority can only be established through the democratic means spelled out in our constitution."

Two, look at his political ethics. He is without doubt the last gentleman politician. His personal values allow him to attract respect from partisan politicians. The implications for the future of Malaysian politics here is monumental. TRH can serve as rallying point for the meeting of diverse minds. This is possible because TRH speaks of values shared by non partisan politicians.

He speaks about corruption as a scourge to government because, "Corruption has become institutionalized in our political system. It is ruining this country

He speaks about the rot attacking the foundations a good government perpetrated by a political class that has atrophied morally. "We have a political class unwilling or unable to address the central issue of the day because they have grown fat and comfortable with a system built on lies and theft."

Third, look at his the breadth of his political capital. He has been the MP for Gua Musang for so long time. He was the youngest UMNO vice president at one time. He was PETRONAS's first chairman. He set up Bank Bumiputera. he was the finance minister when public money was treated with prudence. He is also a former Chairman of the World Bank, ADB and Islamic Development Bank.

Must he be chosen as the candidate? Not necessary as his presence and stature can add lustre to any one chosen to stand.