Former Finance Minister Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah has revealed an agreement between him and Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad to appoint him as Deputy Prime Minister when Dr. Mahathir assumed leadership from Tun Hussein Onn in 1981. However, the agreement fell apart when Dr. Mahathir announced that he would let Umno choose the deputy president, effectively leaving the decision of the Deputy Prime Minister position to the party.
Razaleigh, also known as Ku Li, detailed this agreement in his book, "Ku Li: Memoir 205," launched by his political rival, former Deputy Prime Minister Tun Musa Hitam. Razaleigh recounted that the agreement was made during a period when Hussein was frequently ill, a fact well-documented in the media due to his month-long heart bypass surgery abroad.
Despite widespread rumors of Hussein's resignation, he initially denied these claims. However, Dr. Mahathir was already seen as his likely successor. Razaleigh noted in his memoir that Dr. Mahathir’s position was not entirely secure due to Hussein’s favorable relationship with him, which caused Dr. Mahathir some concern.
Razaleigh recalled a crucial meeting at Hussein’s home after Hussein returned from medical treatment. During this meeting, Hussein expressed his desire to resign and asked if Razaleigh and Dr. Mahathir could work together. Hussein indicated that he wanted Razaleigh to take over as Prime Minister, a proposal that Razaleigh found shocking and impractical due to the potential for political and economic upheaval.
Despite his reluctance, Hussein was insistent. Razaleigh argued that Dr. Mahathir, having served as Deputy Prime Minister for a term, should take over instead. Dr. Mahathir, appreciating Razaleigh’s stance, proposed that Razaleigh become his deputy once he assumed leadership. Razaleigh deferred to Hussein's decision, emphasizing that he had no intention of challenging Dr. Mahathir.
However, as Umno branch meetings progressed, Dr. Mahathir's position remained uncertain due to the incomplete nomination process. Razaleigh later announced he would not challenge Dr. Mahathir, and Musa Hitam also refrained from challenging him, creating a safe space for Dr. Mahathir’s leadership bid.
By early May 1981, media reports indicated that Hussein would announce his resignation on May 15. A crucial three-way meeting between Hussein, Razaleigh, and Dr. Mahathir confirmed the power transition, with the consensus that Dr. Mahathir would become Prime Minister and Razaleigh his deputy. Yet, Musa’s rising popularity saw many Umno divisions nominating him as Dr. Mahathir's running mate.
On May 12, 1981, Dr. Mahathir declared that the choice of Deputy Prime Minister would be left to Umno members, effectively nullifying the earlier agreement. This led to the Umno general assembly on June 26, 1981, deciding the party’s deputy president and consequently the Deputy Prime Minister.
In his memoir, Razaleigh expressed that Dr. Mahathir’s announcement indicated his reluctance to have Razaleigh as his deputy despite their agreement. Dr. Mahathir’s reiteration that Umno should not practice a 'cadre system' and Musa’s candidacy against Razaleigh confirmed this shift. In the 1981 election, Dr. Mahathir won unopposed as president, while Musa defeated Razaleigh with 722 votes to 517.
The book also recounts the subsequent internal conflicts within Umno, leading to its declaration as illegal in 1988 after a leadership crisis in 1987 where Razaleigh narrowly lost to Dr. Mahathir. Following this, Razaleigh founded Parti Melayu Semangat 46, which he led until it dissolved in 1996, after which he rejoined the new Umno.
"Ku Li: Memoir 205," a 338-page book, was authored by Datin Zinitulniza Abdul Kadir.
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