KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 18): Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today paid tribute to Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, saying he owed his political career in Umno to Malaysia's second prime minister.

Writing in his blog in remembrance of Razak's 40th death anniversary this year, Dr Mahathir said he was not only accepted back into the party fold by Razak, despite being expelled before that, but also appointed as a full minister.

“I am of course particularly saddened because I owed everything to him.

“I was expelled from Umno and people who were expelled before me never returned. Their political career was blighted.

“But he (Razak) not only allowed me to return to the fold but subsequently appointed me a full minister.

“I was described as Tun's (Razak) blue-eyed boy, which angered many Umno stalwarts,” said Dr Mahathir, the country's fourth and longest serving prime minister.

He said Razak, the father of current prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, had lived during “great days” when leaders were dedicated to developing the country and tackling the disparities in Malaysian society.

“It was Tun Razak who introduced the New Economic Policy.

"He broke away from the apron strings of the British Commonwealth past, and visited Russia and China. The winds of change blew strongly.

“It is sad that he should be taken away from us so early.”

He said despite knowing that Razak suffered from leukaemia and noticing the latter's deteriorating health, news of Razak's death still came as a shock.

“Malaysia truly lost a great leader. He could have made a real difference to the future of this country which he fought so hard for.

“For me the loss is personal.”

He added that Razak's successor, Tun Hussein Onn, was not someone he was close to and he had thought the takeover by the third prime minister would end his (Dr Mahathir's) career.

“But it wasn't. It wasn't, because Razak had spoken a good word for me to Tun Hussein.”