KOTA BARU – Umno veteran Tan Sri Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah is now the patron of a new state political bloc known as the “movement to save Kelantan”, it was found during a recent courtesy call by the group at his home here.
An aide with the Gua Musang MP said Tengku Razaleigh will remain with Umno but he will lend his voice to the bloc, because 30 years is more than enough for PAS to prove itself.
PAS is now in a weaker position than when it captured Kelantan more than 30 years ago due to a lack of clout and insight on how to manage the state, said the aide.
The Islamist party has ruled the east coast state since 1990, after Tengu Razaleigh had exited Umno and formed the now defunct Semangat 46.
He rejoined Umno in 1996.
The loose bloc will welcome any leader here who feels that PAS can no longer offer Kelantan much after more than 30 years at the helm.
Members can be from Barisan Nasional (BN), Perikatan Nasional (PN), Pakatan Harapan (PH), Putra, Warisan and other splinter parties in the state although it remains to be seen if Umno or Bersatu will join.
“Tengku Razaleigh will welcome state Umno leaders to join the cause. Enough is enough, PAS may mean well but it lacks the wisdom and leadership qualities to address debilitating issues of the state,” said the aide, who declined to be named.
The bloc is specifically for Kelantan only and what happens in other states and nationally is up to the respective parties to decide, he added.
Among the issues which PAS is alleged to have left unresolved are excessive logging, poor natural resources management, floods, sluggish jobs creation and a slow development rate.
Among the leaders Tengku Razaleigh hopes to attract are Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, former PAS vice-president Datuk Husam Musa and former Kelantan Amanah chairman Datuk Wan Abdul Rahim Wan Abdullah.
“Even MCA and MIC leaders in the state can join to provide input on how the new bloc can retake Kelantan from PAS.”
Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Md Alwi Che Ahmad has declined to comment, but state Umno liaison chairman Datuk Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub reasoned that Tengku Razaleigh may be driven by guilt for causing the downfall of the party in Kelantan.
Hence, he is now ready to lead what is seen as a final assault among leaders of his generation to retake the state from PAS, said Jazlan.
Ketereh Umno chief Tan Sri Annuar Musa said Tengku Razaleigh is acting in his personal capacity as a statesman.
Kelantan Gerakan leader Ong Khang Woon said it is unfair to PN if his party joins the bloc as Gerakan has agreed to be in the PN coalition, which PAS is part of.
It remains to be seen how successful the new bloc can be, he added. – The Vibes, April 29, 2022
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