Umno Veterans Club secretary-general Mustapha Yaakub (above) has mooted Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah as the new party president and Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as the deputy president rather than both of them going for the top post.
He said he believes that Zahid is not capable of reviving the confidence of the party members following the party's defeat in the 14th general election.
He said the former deputy prime minister should give way to Razaleigh and instead contest for the deputy presidency.
Mustapha was speaking to reporters after a press conference held by Razaleigh, the Gua Musang MP, to announce his bid for the party presidency at the party polls on June 30.
Others present were Umno vice-president candidates Johari Abdul Ghani and Khaled Nordin.
Mustapha said he felt the best "bomoh luar" for the party to utilise to cure it was Razaleigh.
He said Zahid could emulate former premier Abdul Razak Hussein who did not go for top post after party president and founder Onn Jaafar left party.
"What Abdul Razak do? Despite being the then deputy president, he asked Tunku Abdul Rahman to run for the presidency," he said.
"Abdul Razak took a 'bomoh luar'. Now, we have a more serious (situation) and we are facing a confidence crisis. The best outside shaman or doctor is Razaleigh," he added.
"For the time being, we see that Zahid unable to revive the confidence of Umno members towards the party," he said.
Mustapha said he believed Razaleigh and Zahid would make a good team for Umno.
Razaleigh, better known as Ku Li, will be an "interim" leader who will pass the baton to Zahid after completing his duty, he said.
He likened this to the arrangement of Pakatan Harapan's Dr Mahathir Mohamad passing the premiership to Anwar Ibrahim in two years time.
He said he has yet to convey the message to Zahid who has just returned from the haj two days ago.
"But, being a leader, I am confident that he will consider the wishes of many," said Mustapha.
Former Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had resigned as Umno president and BN chairperson after the general election.
Beside Zahid and Razaleigh, a largely unknown candidate, businessperson-bloggernRahmat Azim Abdul Aziz, will also be going for the presidency.
It is believed that Tengku Razaleigh has teamed up with ousted Negeri Sembilan menteri besar Mohamad Hasan for the party polls but both have denied this. -Mkini
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