PETALING JAYA (Malaysia): It will be a three-cornered fight for the Umno deputy presidency but it will not split the party or be a bitter repeat of the infamous Team A-Team B fight of 1987.

Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib, the third candidate to become eligible to contest the party's number two post, said it would be a fair fight.

The former Selangor Mentri Besar faces ex-Johor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam for the post in the March party polls.

Muhammad has picked up 45 nominations. Muhyiddin, the favourite, qualified four weeks ago, while Mohd Ali made it on Saturday.

A candidate for the deputy presidency needs a minimum of 39 nominations from the 191 Umno divisions to make the cut.

Although Muhyiddin is the favourite, Tenggara became the third division in his home state - after Kota Tinggi and Johor Baru - to not nominate him for the deputy presidency.

The deputy president's post fell vacant after Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak moved a step up to contest the Umno presidency - following Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi?s decision not to stay on in the top job.

Today marks the end of the five-week nomination period for the Umno divisions.

When met at the Kelana Jaya Umno meeting yesterday, Muham-mad said he believed a fight for the deputy presidency would be healthy for the party.

The Umno information chief said the present scenario should not be compared to the infamous Team A-Team B spat.

"This is not a bitter contest between an incumbent and someone who is trying to unseat him (such as in 1987)."

In the 1987 contest, Team A comprising Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Tun Ghafar Baba were challenged by Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and Tun Musa Hitam?s Team B for the presidency and deputy presidency.

The fight was so bitter it resulted in Umno being declared illegal by the courts.

Muhammad said that at times, a contest could strengthen the party because ?if there is no contest, maybe the combination may look good but actually has weaknesses?.

Meanwhile, in Malacca, Mohd Ali said his qualification to contest for the deputy presidency had proven that democracy was alive and healthy in Umno.

He said he was prepared to work closely with the party president to strengthen Umno, return confidence to the party and Barisan Nasional.