Analysts said a smooth transition from premier Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to his deputy, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, should be the cornerstone of the plan to help calm political tension, rebuild investor confidence and counter threats from the opposition and former strongman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
But the recovery plan must first tackle structural problems within the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, the party leader said, if the ruling alliance is to shake off a poor showing in a March election and strengthen its 51-year grip on power.
"These are the things that will be part and parcel of the discussions rather than looking at an individual's succession plan," said Norza Zakaria, a member of the policy-making Umno Supreme Council.
"You got to look at the fundamental issues first. For instance, the magnitude of the problem and what are the changes that we need to bring in," he told Reuters in an interview.
"At the end of the day, the succession plan may be a result of that brainstorming, I don't know."
The United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), which dominates the 14-party BN, was thrown into disarray this week with the shock resignation of Mahathir from the party he led for 22 years in a bold bid to oust Abdullah.
TRUMP CARDS
Mahathir's resignation could widen rifts in UMNO and pave the way for opposition contender Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim -- Mahathir's old foe -- to seize power.
"The revival programme must be a grand plan which includes a clear succession plan. You must make everybody know when it's going to take place," said Mohd Mustafa Ishak, politics professor with Universiti Utara Malaysia.
He added that Umno must resolve the issue before July, when politicians start jockeying for party positions ahead of December leadership contests and decide on their alliances.
Najib told reporters after a meeting of Umno's policy-making body on Wednesday that the issue of succession was not raised. "It's a matter between me and the prime minister," he said.
Another analyst said transition might not come until after the December party elections, adding that Abdullah would stick to his plan to contest for the party leadership.
"The question is whether he will resign immediately after that or several months later," said Safar Hashim, professor of media at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
Umno's Norza said the party's 30-member Supreme Council would attend a retreat soon to brainstorm issues such as how to reach out to the younger generation.
"People say the party is not friendly to the younger generation. We admitted it," Norza added.
Politics professor Mustafa said the revival plan must also resolve the perception of Umno as a "corrupt, weak party bogged down with internal problems and is out of touch with the people".
"They must work on rebranding the party, just like the UK Labour Party did in the the early 1990s with New Labour," he said.
While Mahathir's call for Abdullah to resign appeared to be floundering as top UMNO leaders rallied behind the premier, analysts said it was still premature to discount the "master strategist and political animal".
"If UMNO fails to restore confidence and strengthen itself, people will look for alternatives. Mahathir doesn't want this to happen," said social scientist Sivamurugan Pandian. "As a political animal, he would have calculated that."
And Mahathir himself warned that he has not used up all his trump cards.
"Yes, Umno can consider me irrelevant. It is their funeral and not mine," Mahathir reportedly said on Friday.
