Ku Li offers ‘sacrifice’ to resolve political tussle, says aide

GEORGE TOWN – Umno veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah yesterday met the Yang di-Pertuan Agong as a neutral party to help resolve the current political imbroglio.

He told the Agong that he is willing to offer his “sacrifice” to help the country to overcome the current tumult.

The Vibes has learnt that the Gua Musang MP, popularly known as Ku Li, conveyed this during his audience yesterday with Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.

The palace had invited Tengku Razaleigh for a meeting at 2pm in Istana Negara yesterday after PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had an audience with the Agong at 11am.

An aide to Tengku Razaleigh said he is annoyed by grouses in Umno that he did not notify the party of the meeting with the Agong, in light of Anwar’s claim of majority parliamentary support to topple Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s administration.

The aide said Tengku Razaleigh’s visit to the palace was made in his personal capacity and was not meant to formally represent Umno.

“It (conversation with the Agong) included discussions on the proposition for a new government.”

However, Razaleigh is not aiming to become an interim prime minister, and is willing to help the country in other ways if requested, the aide added.

The aide said that a proposition for a unity government cannot be overlooked, especially as a snap general election is not wise in view of the Covid-19 pandemic and the heavy costs. 

“Ku Li informed the palace that he is not taking sides in the current political situation but willing to ‘sacrifice’ if there is a need to help the country overcome the imbroglio,” the aide said. 

The aide added Tengku Razaleigh, 83, is not siding with either Muhyiddin, who is Bersatu president, or Anwar.

“Muhyiddin and Anwar are considered his juniors.”

Tengku Razaleigh’s input was sought due to his vast experience as a statesman, he said. 

He is the longest serving parliamentarian in the world, having served as MP since 1974, and among the most senior active politicians after former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, 95.

Tengku Razaleigh also served as a federal minister from 1976 to 1987, and was the founding chairman of Petronas.

Hours before Tengku Razaleigh’s meeting at the palace, Anwar said he had given the Agong the number of MPs purportedly supporting his bid to wrest Putrajaya. 

In a later statement, the palace clarified that Anwar did not provide any names. – The Vibes, October 14, 2020