The softer image of incoming prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and the lack of proper opposition alternatives are among the factors that will help Umno do better in the next general election, said former deputy premier Musa Hitam.

He said the upcoming leadership transition will persuade voters to give Umno and Abdullah a chance at government after more than 20 years under the premiership of Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

"I think it will be better (for Umno)... One opposition leader came to my house and said to me: 'Musa, I think we are going to have a problem because Mahathir is leaving. No more punching bag'," quipped Musa during an interview with malaysiakini last week, the first part of which appeared yesterday.

"Abdullah is taking over. It is the Malaysian mentality - kasi chan lah (give him a break). Abdullah also has a softer image. It has always been the issue of style. Even in the case of my quarrel with Mahathir, it was over the manner in which things were done."

Huge middle-class

According to Musa, a far more convincing reason for voters to return to Umno is the lack of proper alternatives offered by the opposition.

"(The opposition) is messing it up again," he said, referring in particular to the Islamic state issue which is on the PAS state-level agenda.

"The strongest possible party is PAS... Is it to be Islamic state or not? They said 'Yes, but we won't tell this at the federal level'. This sounds ridiculous. The Malaysian electorate has become intelligent and they are able to analyse."

Musa said that another impediment to PAS gaining popular support is the successful creation of a large multi-racial middle-class.

"Before, we had a very small and compartmentalised middle-class... Now, as a result of National Economic Policy (NEP) plus overall development, there is a huge middle-class population cutting across racial lines.

"They now have a common interest in stability. I maintain this has developed only in the last 20 years and that has made it difficult for opposition political parties like PAS to win their support."

Lip service

However, when asked to comment on the issue of corruption and money politics in Umno, Musa appeared to be more guarded.

"I've said my piece then. Let's see what is coming. If I start repeating it again before the poor fellow (Abdullah) takes over, I would be saying all the things that can be misinterpreted," he said in response to a question on whether Umno had mended itself since he last spoke on the problems besetting the party in a 2000 address at a Johor party event.

"I would give some time for things to settle down under the new leadership. It could do worse or it could do better, whatever 'better' means. We hope (Umno issues) are not going to be the order of the day under the Abdullah regime."

Musa was nevertheless confident that there is political will among government leaders to deal with the problem of corruption.

"There has been a lot of lip service (but) the press is more willing and open to expose (incidents). This is an improvement compared to many years ago. Because of these exposs, (the authorities) have taken action. I would like to consider these as positive developments," he said.

Still, he said the public should not expect the problem of corruption to be eradicated.

"I am a realist - corruption is here to stay but the issue is how to contain it. If you start listing cases then we are in trouble. It relates to the judiciary, the mentality, the psychology, leadership by example... We will see how Abdullah will tackle this."

Asked if attempts by Abdullah to take anti-graft action would put him in possible conflict with other politicians, Musa declined to comment, except to say that this was "speculation which I am not prepared to accept yet".

Tomorrow: The future of Malay special rights