KOTA BARU: Kelantan Umno remains optimistic that Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah would throw his entire weight behind Barisan Nasional in the upcoming Galas state by-election here.
State opposition leader Md Alwi Che Ahmad said a few leaders, including Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, have been in touch with the Kelantan prince and the response is indicative
that Razaleigh is supportive of the coalition.
He admitted that there are attempts by Pakatan Rakyat, especially PAS, to persuade Razaleigh, who is affectionately called Ku Li, to adopt a low profile instead.
The former Umno vice-president and finance minister, is currently in London after attending an engagement with his alma mater Queens University in Belfast, Ireland.
To-date, according to his personal assistant Mohd Lukman Ghani, Ku Li has hesitated commenting on various issues linked to the by-election, prefering to tell all in a scheduled press conference when he returns to Kuala Lumpur on Saturday.
Ku Li is regarded as a statesman, therefore he is allowed the leverage to be critical of either BN or Pakatan, said Alwi in response to claims that Ku Li does not agree with Umno and had even sided with PAS on the Kelantan government's move to seek oil royalty compensation from Petronas through the courts.
However, as he remains the Gua Musang Umno division head and one of the party's revered personalities, Ku Li should take up the offer to lead the state BN election machinery, Alwi added.
The Galas by-election is expected to be called by the end of this month or early November following the demise of its incumbent Chek Hashim Sulaima from PAS last Monday.
Chek Hashim won the seat, which is one of three under the Gua Musang parliamentary constituency by defeating Ku Li's strongman Saufi Deraman in the 2008 general election with a slim majority of 646 votes.
Much at stake
Alwi said PAS has engaged in a "psy-war" approach since it was inevitable that a by-election needs to be held.
They are swaying confusion and trying to entice Ku Li to adopt a low profile or neutral stance since the latter remains highly influencial in the constituency, Alwi claimed.
This is why PAS is trying to revive the prospect of Malay unity in Galas and urging Umno to stay out of contesting as a token to the previous proposal for both parties to discuss about the possibility of a united political front, he explained.
It is learnt that Ku Li has much to ponder as Pakatan had sent overtures to him that he could become the next prime minister if it wins over Malaysia in the next federal election.
If PKR supreme leader Anwar Ibrahim is imprisoned on sodomy charges then there is no other personality big enough to assume the prime ministership except Ku Li, said a PAS leader here.
There is much at stake for the Kelantan prince, as it concerns his political future, the PAS leader added.
In the meantime, both Barisan and PAS have upped the ante as a build-up to the by-election, with Ku Li caught in the centre.
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