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WHAT IS UMNO GOING TO SAY ,ACCORDING TO THEIR X PREMIER MELAYU MUDAH LUPA SUGGESTION TO CLEAN THE UMNO/BN
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| Andrew Ong | Jan 30, 08 5:52pm |
| Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad is on yet another mission - this time to promote a ‘clean-up’ of the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, in particular the dominant party Umno. In this respect, he expressed the hope that BN supporters will not vote in "corrupt and inefficient" leaders in the next general election. " "Should people name some deadwood or some corrupt person as a candidate, BN supporters should not support them. That is the way we can clean the...BN and Umno. "There is no hope that Umno can clean itself from within. Everything is controlled now. Any contrary view (that party members) make would be contained." Mahathir’s latest attack appears to be an attempt to rally voters against his hand-picked successor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi ahead of polls that are widely speculated to be called in March. S However, he predicted that results would be closer to that in 1999, than in 2004 when BN obtained its largest mandate. In 1999, BN had suffered heavy losses, including losing Kelantan and Terengganu to Islamic opposition party PAS. "The issues are different (compared to 1999). There is (now) the problem of inflation. More importantly the quality of leadership (within Umno) is not there," said Mahathir. Use of ‘illegal means’ To a question, Mahathir said the next polls "could be" the dirtiest to date and expressed fears that "illegal means" would be used to influence voters. Asked to substantiate his claims of vote-buying, Mahathir replied that his fears stem from his experience in the 2006 Kubang Pasu divisional Umno elections as well as by-elections held last year. " In 2006, Mahathir had claimed that Umno rigged the Kubang Pasu party polls to stop him from being elected as a delegate to the Umno general assembly. The disciplinary committee, however, cleared the division of any wrongdoing. Mahathir also confirmed long-standing rumours that his government had avoided developing the PAS-led Kelantan for political reasons. He said Umno felt that the federal government should not develop the state because PAS would take advantage of the situation. "PAS will tell the people - even if you don’t vote BN, you will still get development. Why bother voting BN? That has always been the problem with PAS. Even in my constituency... Because of that we have to hold back," he explained. He also commented on issues of religion, the economy and allegations of corruption during his own 22-year tenure as premier. |
I’m trying to promote a cleansing of the (coalition) by the people because it seems that it is not possible (for BN to cleanse itself)," said Mahathir when asked what role he would play in the polls. 
peaking to reporters after launching his latest book ‘Dr Mahathir’s Selected Letters to World Leaders’, Mahathir stressed that he is not supporting the opposition and that he believes the BN will still win comfortably.
In my case, I have proof that people were bribed. I expect there to be an extension (of such practices) during the general election," he said.