Who are these people calling on the Putra Mahkota Politik Malays
1998-01-02
Out of prying eyes, a steady stream of visitors call upon Tengku
Razaleigh Hamzah, the former Semangat leader now much in obvious
political limbo when he returned to UMNO. Conventional wisdom
reduces him to zero in the present Malaysian context. He himself
tells visitors he does not have any political future in mind but he
remains arguably the Putra Mahkota Politik Malaysia. He has become
the man no one in the present Malaysian political and business
spectrum can do without. And they make regular pilgrimages to his
office-cum-mansion in Jalan Langgak Golf.
Recently, one visitor was startled to see cooling his heels in the
waiting room, patiently waiting for an appointment with Tengku
Razaliegh one of Bolehland's brightest and the best. This
internationally known business man is believed to owe the banks
something like RM10 billion. No doubt he was there to pass the time
of day to help him forget his predicament for some precious hours..
Others seen there are present and former cabinet ministers, and if
anything, this steady stream of connected visitors have actually
increase. Even the NEAC secretary-general, Tun Daim Zainuddin, does
call on him more than occasionally.
Tunku Razaleigh dismisses any suggestion he is the Putra Mahkota
Politik Malaysia -- Crown Prince of Malaysian Politics. It does not
really matter what he thinks or feels. The word is out that he is
the man to look to get the country out of this mess that the country
faces. He behaves like another politician in another country who
retired to his village after World War Two waiting for the call which
came 13 years later. At first sight, there is nothing in common
between them. One is short and slight, the other tall and lanky;
one is opinionated and a hero in his own right, the other a quiet
self-effacing politician. One is a prince with plebian pretensions;
the other a politicial with monarchial ambitions. But both have a
common nationalist fervour of their place in their respective
countries' history. That politician, of course, is General Charles
de Gaulle, who waited 14 years to become president. Tengku has
already spent ten years in the political wilderness. Malaysian
politicians and business men feel naked these days if they do not
establish base to talk over old times and to taste the excellent
cooking of his old cook.
M.G.G. Pillai
pillai@mgg.pc.my
M.G.G. Pillai
pillai@mgg.pc.my
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