The country’s political culture has strayed far from the ideals of its founding figures who placed national service above personal gain.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s early political leaders served selflessly for the people and the nation unlike many of today’s politicians who appear driven by power and wealth, said Umno veteran and former finance minister Tan Sri Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah.
He lamented that the country’s political culture has strayed far from the ideals of its founding figures who placed national service above personal gain.
“In the early days, leaders like Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Abdul Razak and Tun Dr Ismail worked hard for the people.
“They had no personal wealth. Tunku died with debts – I know, because I helped to settle them myself.
“He even sold his rubber estate to finance Umno during elections,” Tengku Razaleigh told theSun in an exclusive interview.
“Tun Razak didn’t even have a house. Dr Ismail too. They had nothing for themselves. They worked and sacrificed for the people not for positions or riches.”
He said this spirit of selfless service is no longer seen today as current leaders appear consumed by material gain and internal politicking.
“Now, some fight for posts and money. They think about contracts, about power, about how to hold on to positions. That’s not the Umno I knew.”
Tengku Razaleigh, who formed Semangat 46 after Umno was declared unlawful in 1988, recalled that the party’s dissolution was not due to wrongdoing but
internal manoeuvring for power.
“Umno should never have been declared illegal. It was a ploy by those who wanted to stay in power.
“The party had done nothing wrong.
“The court was told by Umno’s own lawyer that the party was unlawful. What could the judge do?”
He explained that the court case at the time had merely sought to compel Umno to hold fresh party elections after then-president Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad won by a narrow 43-vote margin.
“The real issue was the leadership contest. They wanted a new general assembly, are-election.”
Tengku Razaleigh added that since then Umno’s democratic practices had weakened.
“Annual general meetings were supposed to be held every June. Now they keep postponing them.
“Even the president’s and deputy president’s posts cannot be contested. If you challenge, they get angry.
“Leadership must come through democracy, not through fear or rewards.
“I’ve been in Umno for over 66 years. Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Mahathir were juniors to me.
“I was already vice-president when they were still climbing. I never chased the prime minister’s post. I just wanted what was best for the Malays,” he said.
