Semangat 46

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Semangat 46 (Spirit of '46) is a now defunct Malaysian political party. The party was formed in 1988 under the leadership of Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, who felt capable of mounting a realistic challenge to the dominance of then UMNO under Mahathir's leadership and its electoral vehicle, the Barisan Nasional. The party formed a coalition with PAS and DAP in the 1990 Malaysian general election.^[1]

Semangat 46 came about in 1985 or 1986 when Malaysia was experiencing an economic recession.^[2]. This new party brought over many Umno top guns from Team B like Datuk Rais Yatim, Datuk Radzi Sheikh Ahmad, Datuk Zainal Abidin Zin, Datuk Manan Othman, Datuk Suhaimi Kamaruddin, Datuk Ibrahim Ali, Datin Paduka Rahmah Othman and Marina Yusof. However, other key members of Team B notably Tun Musa Hitam, Datuk Shahrir Samad and current Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi decided to remain in Umno.

In essence, Semangat Events turned the other side, as many of Semangat 46 members began to defect to UMNO. The party was renamed Parti Melayu Semangat 46, in an attempt to revive support by stressing on its Malay nature.^[3] In May 1996 the eight-year rift within UMNO was healed when Razaleigh led his Semangat '46 party back into the UMNO fold.

[edit] See also

• 1988 Malaysian constitutional crisis

[edit] References