Umno president-in waiting Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's prolonged silence o­n the choice of his deputy is creating unease among supporters of Najib Abdul Razak who fear that this may lead to a wane in support for the party vice-president.

In view of this, Umno supreme council member Nazri Aziz's recent public pledge of support for the vice-president, was seen as an attempt to pressure Abdullah to recognise Najib as his deputy, who is also the preferred choice of Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

"His (Nazri) statements could be a 'test run' to gauge the mood of party members o­n Najib being Abdullah's deputy," said a source close to Umno recently.

Facing an imminent deadline to name his deputy, Abdullah appears to be unsure about what to do next.

A senior party member said the premier-in-waiting was disturbed by reports that several top leaders were already mobilising support to make inroads into Umno's inner circle.

"In fact, the Batu Umno chief, Azrat Gull Amirzaat Gull, had also publicly voiced his support for Muhyiddin Mohd Yassin (another vice-president) in his speech at the Cheras Umno divisional delegates meeting last Sunday. However, his speech was not reported by the media," he said.

"Abdullah's stand could also be an acknowledgment of problems that might arise in choosing his deputy, as there is a 'silent' rivalry between senior party leaders," added the party leader, who declined to be named.

Commenting o­n the relationship between the three party vice-presidents, he said they had worked side by side for years and their relationship was "sometimes uncomfortable, sometimes happy".

Umno reforms

On the dilemma faced by Abdullah, an Umno divisional leader said: "While Pak Lah wants to retain a number of Mahathir loyalists, he has to also consider bringing in fresh faces to add to those already holding party and government portfolios."

The leader, who also spoke o­n condition of anonymity, believed that Abdullah would have known by now that grassroots leaders had hinted their willingness to back him in pushing through reforms.

"Of course, there is another alternative: To do it through party elections. Unfortunately, election for top posts, as in the past, provides a fertile ground for all manner of unsavoury activities.

"Of course, if Pak Lah cannot decide o­n his deputy, it will be the beginning of a dilemma," he said.

Nazri's support for Najib, who is also defence minister, created a political uproar last week but Abdullah sidestepped the issue by advising party leaders not to discuss the matter publicly.

Rais' explanation

In an obvious support for Abdullah, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Dr Rais Yatim said last Sunday that the appointment of a deputy prime minister was not a must although it has been a convention for the prime minister to name someone for the post.

He explained that the Federal Constitution stipulates that o­nly the prime minister must be appointed and he is required to appoint several people to important positions under him.

The third vice-president Muhammad Muhd Taib does not hold any government post. The former Selangor menteri besar was caught with RM2.4 million cash o­n him at an Australian airport in 1996 and later charged for failing to declare his assets to the Anti-Corruption Agency. He has since been acquitted by the High Court.

He started playing a more visible role in Umno in 1999, especially in matters related to by-elections.

"Since then, Muhd Taib has been able to strengthen his position in Umno. Umno in the east-coast states and Sabah and Sarawak are within his sphere of influence," claimed another party leader.

Abdullah will take over from Mahathir as the prime minister in November o­nce the latter, who has been in power for 22 years, steps down after the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) meet in Kuala Lumpur.

Mahathir, 76, has brushed aside rumours claiming that he may reconsider his decision.

Abdullah became deputy prime minister in 1999 following the sacking of Anwar Ibrahim who is currently serving a 15-year jail sentence for corruption and sodomy.

The Court of Appeal yesterday upheld Anwar's sodomy conviction and his nine-year jail sentence, and rejected his bail application.

Having failed to quash the High Court decision, Anwar is now expected to spend at least another six years in prison o­n top of the four years he has served for another conviction for corruption.