KUALA LUMPUR: Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah said he had merely spoken about what many people had been talking about and it was up to Umno to decide on his position in the party.

Asked about his speech at the launch of Institute For Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas), which some said sounded as though it came from the opposition, he said: "Depends on how you read it. I thought I was just voicing what a lot of people are talking about.

"Nothing new, and Tunku Zain Al-Abidin Tuanku Muhriz (a co-founder of Ideas) also echoed in the same manner and spirit."

On Umno top brass being ruffled by his criticism of the government, the Umno veteran and Gua Musang MP said only those who had "eaten chilli would feel hot in the mouth".

Asked whether the party would ask him to leave, Tengku Razaleigh said: "They have every right to decide in any way they like. I am only a simple person. If they ask me to leave Umno, I will have to leave Umno. If they ask me to stay, I will stay."

Clarifying the point he made in his speech that an incumbent could not be expected to undertake reforms, the Umno veteran said if it were to be left to the government and if the government persisted in pursuing its policies in the same manner as it had been doing, no change could be expected unless people showed the government the way.

"We are not opposing the government by making suggestions or proposals for the good of the country," he said at a press conference after the launch of Ideas.

Tengku Razalaigh also felt that the relationship between the states and federal government should be better.

"At the moment, there is too much concentration of power in the centre, which I think is not healthy," he said.

Asked if the government was too powerful and, therefore, needed to devolve some of its powers, he said it was not the case as it could not have stood without help from Sabah and Sarawak MPs.

"They are not too powerful but they are flexing their muscles using existing powers that they have which sometimes people think are draconian in nature and authoritarian in the manner they dispense law.

"I think if they establish better relations with the states, for instance in the case of oil, they will be highly regarded. It is a question of credibility and public confidence.

"Why do people talk about it now? Because probably people don't have too much confidence. People never raise this subject previously because they had confidence," said Tengku Razaleigh.

He also voiced his concern as an Umno member that the party would be booted out of power if it did not heed people's call.

"I don't want Umno to lose power. If Umno that has ruled the country since 1955 loses power, then you will see a change of policies, change of style of government that may not please quite a big portion of people, but then again it depends on the will of the people.

"If people want change, there is nothing anybody can do (to deny it)," said Tengku Razaleigh.