The comeback kings

The comeback kings

Done:
1. Muhammad Muhd Taib: Almost lost it all - power, authority, support and money after the then Selangor MB was caught red-handed in Brisbane with loads of money in 1996. Political wilderness followed and then suddenly he was made the Umno information chief in 2004. That started his comeback. In Nov 2006, he was made a senator, prompting many to believe he was on his way into the cabinet. However he was not given a seat for the 2008 GE - he says he wasn’t given one by Khir Toyo - but that did not stop PM to make him the rural and regional development minister in his latest cabinet. And then came the coup de grace last night when he replaced the sulking Khir as both Selangor Umno chief as well as the state’s BN head. It took him 12 years to pay for his mistake but now he is back in the inner circle.

Possible:
2. Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah: The Kelantan prince yesterday humbly offered himself to challenge Abdullah for the Umno presidency post, all in the name of healing the party. Once before he challenged the party president - Mahathir in 1987 and caused the party to split. He formed Semangat 46, went to the opposition before finally patching up with Mahathir and returning to Umno in 1996. In 2004 he wanted to challenge Abdullah but failed to get enough nominations. That put to rest his intention to be the party’s leader. He is back at it again now. His problem will be in getting the required nominations. If he gets that, then it’s a zero-sum-game. Anything can happen with delegates and he might just end up achieving his dream. Not a comeback king yet but a possibility is there.

Soon:
3. Anwar Ibrahim: He is riding on such a wave, no one will be shocked or surprised to see him back in the pedestal of power sooner than later. After April 15, he will be eligible to contest and a win is a granted thing. That means, he IS on his way to the parliament. That by itself is a massive comeback for a man who was dropped from the second highest office in the nation straight into the cells in Sungai Buloh. In between he had to live with the stigma of being labelled a sodomite. But his ride is not about to end as the opposition leader. Many of his backers are very confident that in the next 18 months, he WILL be the prime minister. Works are being done for him to garner enough support from BN turncoats to crossover. Never mind the next GE in 2013. Come mid-2009, Anwar’s comeback would have been complete!