Musa says he was naive as DPM

 

Former deputy prime minister Musa Hitam recounted the story of how he became an enemy of Dr Mahathir Mohamad when both held the country’s top two executive posts 35 years ago.

According to Musa (above, right), he became very upset when Mahathir, who was the then prime minister, appointed Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah as an industrial and trade minister.

This was because while Musa had wanted to sideline the Umno leader from Kelantan, Mahathir had instead taken Razaleigh, better known as Ku Li, into his cabinet.

“This shows how stupid I was in politics,” he told reporters when met during the launching of a memoir authored by Ku Li titled “Ku Li: Memoir 205”.

Despite his naivety, the former deputy prime minister stressed that he had always looked up to Mahathir as a brilliant politician.

This was the reason Mahathir had chosen him to be a deputy prime minister instead of Tengku Razaleigh, who was said to be smarter.

“I was really stupid when it came to politics. For Mahathir, between Ku Li and I, I was the better option because I was stupid and poor.

“On the other hand, Ku Li would have been a bigger threat (to Mahathir at the time). So Ku Li was a problem to Mahathir,” he said, with a hint of sarcasm.

Sitting beside Mahathir

Towards the end of the 1980s, Umno was embroiled in a serious internal conflict due to infighting between groups led by Mahathir and Tengku Razaleigh, with the latter supported by Musa’s faction. This led to the court banning the party.

The infighting resulted in the formation of Parti Melayu Semangat 46, better known as Semangat 46 or S46, led by Ku Li. Musa, however, did not join the splinter party.

Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah

Semangat 46 was dissolved several years later, with Tengku Razaleigh rejoining Umno.

Musa believed that Tengku Razaleigh could have become a prime minister if the latter had not fought Mahathir.

“I don’t want to tell Ku Li now: You were stupid, and so was I,” he said in jest.

Musa also related a story about how Mahathir had announced to the Umno supreme council during a meeting in 1986 that there was someone who was impatient to become an Umno president.

Unsuspectingly, Musa said, he had openly asked in the meeting who that person was.

“This one night he (Mahathir) said that he heard about this one evil person (wanting to challenge him).

“And stupidly, while sitting right beside the most important leader then (Mahathir) because I was his deputy, I turned to him to ask who he was talking about.

“Believe it or not, when I asked him, one of those who attended the meeting had said: it was you!” he said.

Musa said he met Mahathir the next day to submit his resignation because he supposedly could not do his job and was “stupid”.

Mahathir met the decision with surprise, he said.

Dr Mahathir Mohamad

Financially constrained

Speaking about his decision not to challenge Mahathir during an Umno election then, Musa said he did not have the financial capability to.

“I had to face the reality that I did not have any money then.

“When we (Umno) were split, the party was divided into ‘Umno baru’ and ‘Umno lama’ (new and old Umno). Ku Li was leading the B group, which later became Semangat 46.

“I thought I was clever then because I had Abdullah Badawi and Shahrir (Samad) and our supporters.

“But when it comes to money, I looked at Shahrir. But no one had the money. We tried to get some donations but it wasn't that easy. This was the reality.

“So, back to the financial issue, I realised that I had no money and money is the biggest challenge to any politician and party,” he said.

Speaking about his relationship with Mahathir in current context, Musa said contrary to popular belief, the two are alright now.

While some might be triggered when speaking about the former prime minister, Musa said he does not share the sentiment.

“I am saying all these now not because I have any interest or to diminish Mahathir.

“Every time I crossed paths with Mahathir, we shook hands, we even cracked jokes. It is only some people who think otherwise, and that is not my problem.” - Mkini