A fresh storm seems to be brewing in the local political cauldron after Umno veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah gave his “verdict” recently that his controversial party Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh has the potential to become a great leader; in an interview with a local news media, he was quoted to have said that Akmal was attempting to revive Umno Youth’s spirits by being vocal and it seems to have revitalised the wing.
In fact, last month the legendary politician had fiercely defended his party’s outspoken youth chief for his emotional outburst against Seputeh MP Teresa Kok over the halal certification controversy; he had stressed that Akmal’s combative posture should not be mistaken for hostility towards other races but rather as being in line with Umno’s constitution and mission, even sensationally going on to ask: “why should Akmal apologise..?!”
For the record, last month Akmal had posted a video on TikTok in which he called Kok an “old nyonya” and said she should not interfere in Islamic matters; in fact, he went on to crudely suggest that a non-halal logo should be stuck on the DAP vice-chairman’s forehead!
Meanwhile, wading into the storm, prominent academic Tajuddin Mohd Rasdi then reminded the Umno veteran that the Prophet forbade insulting others; not mincing words, he admonished Tengku Razaleigh for openly defending Dr Akmal’s somewhat frequent unbecoming behaviour alleging that it may have something to do with the culture in Umno.
Furthermore, according to Tajuddin, to use such derogatory terms against political opponents especially a non-Muslim is prohibited in Islam; he then added: “if Muftis do not tell Tengku Razaleigh this… then permit me to do so!”
The truth is Tengku Razaleigh (aka Ku Li) has always been a well-respected and visionary leader since his younger days; and in addition to being credited with the setting up of Petronas in the seventies, unknown to many, he was also hugely instrumental in initiating diplomatic relations with communist China during that same period - something which he reportedly takes special pride in for the pivotal role he had played.
Apparently as president of the National Chamber of Commerce representing business leaders from various ethnic backgrounds, Ku Li was entrusted by then prime minister Tun Abdul Razak and his deputy Tun Dr Ismail bin Abdul Rahman to lead a delegation to China where they were warmly welcomed by the country’s then premier Zhou Enlai; that meeting served as the precursor to the eventual establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Oddly, in spite of his high-profile status the former finance minister is also known as a very private person; yet, he was reported to have shared a close relationship with Malaysia's first three prime ministers: Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra al-Haj, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein and Tun Hussein Onn.
Meanwhile, on his illustrious yet at times tumultuous political career, Ku Li had revealed in his biography of an agreement made between himself and Dr Mahathir Mohamad to appoint him as deputy prime minister when the latter assumed leadership in 1981; however, he confided that Dr Mahathir didn't want him to be his deputy, and after securing his own position, the shrewd doctor strategically installed Musa Hitam to run against him!
With the animosity between the two stalwarts deepening, a few years later Ku Li had formed Semangat 46 to take on his adversary; however, it was a short-lived venture as he eventually rejoined Umno where he continued to serve as the MP for Gua Musang for several more successive terms.
Fast forward to 2018, this time when Dr Mahathir had regained the premiership of the country for the second time under Pakatan Harapan, and with Umno in shambles, Ku Li had famously said that “he won't go crawling to Mahathir”, insisting that the former was still the same person but in different clothing!
Yet, for all his staunch allegiance to his nationalist party the Kelantan prince was also revered by the opposition leaders; so much so, even DAP icon Lim Kit Siang carried Ku Li’s speeches in his blog, perhaps the most famous one being in 2010 where the Umno veteran had lamented how “the present generation in power has let Malaysia down!” The prime minister then was of course Najib Razak.
In fact, in that same speech, using sports as a metaphor he had remarked: “When we were at ease with who we were, and didn’t need slogans to do our best together, we did well…(but)… when race and money entered our game, we declined. The same applies to our political and economic life.”
Interestingly, back in 2016, Tengku Razaleigh had also found himself in the centre of another controversy after DAP MP Liew Chin Tong had posted on social media an unsigned statutory declaration (SD) purportedly lobbying for Tengku Razaleigh to be the next prime minister; it was allegedly a plan to unseat the then leader Najib Razak through a no-confidence vote in the Dewan Rakyat.
However, later it was claimed by none other than his old foe Dr Mahathir himself that Ku Li had subsequently changed his stand and sided with Najib instead in a public display of loyalty to the PM.
Yet, the fact remains that the charismatic 87-year-old, after serving as the Gua Musang MP for four decades, has consistently remained the one senior Umno leader whom even the opposition leaders and members have always looked up to.
Considering all that, it must have come as a shock to many that the cultured, disciplined and well-respected Malaysian gentleman from a royal lineage would publicly back the alleged uncouth behaviour of one of his own junior party leaders - even elevating him to the rank of a “great future leader!”
Sadly, this is sure to have prompted many admirers to ask ruefully: has the venerable statesman, now in his twilight years, lost his vision for his beloved multiracial nation? Or could it be just another chilling reminder to all that, come hell or high water, in Umno things hardly change?
Information source: Malaysiakini, FMT, NST, Blog Lim Kit Siang and Malay Mail
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