Friday May 30, 2008

Dr M: I’m out, he’s (Ezam) in

KUALA LUMPUR: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was his usual sarcastic self when commenting on former PKR Youth leader Ezam Mohd Nor rejoining Umno.

“Saya keluar, dia masuk. Baguslah dia sayang Umno (I leave and he is back in. Good that he loves Umno),” he quipped.

The former premier and party president was asked to comment yesterday on Ezam's move to rejoin Umno this week although he had left the party to help set up what was then known as Parti Keadilan.

Ezam, who was once Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s political secretary, followed Anwar out of Umno in 1998 after the former deputy prime minister was sacked. He was also detained under the Internal Security Act for his role in the reformasi movement.

Long queue: Dr Mahathir shaking hands with one of his fans after autographing his book at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre yesterday.

However, Ezam quit Keadilan last year after a fallout with Anwar and an internal power struggle with current PKR vice-president Azmin Ali.

He then set up Gerak, a non-governmental organisation fighting against corruption and upholding judicial independence.

Dr Mahathir was speaking to reporters after autographing 100 copies of his book, Dr Mahathir's Selected Letters to World Leaders. The autograph session was organised in conjunction with the international BookFest@Malaysia 2008 exhibition.

In his posting on his blog yesterday, Dr Mahathir thanked Umno members who asked him to return to the party, but reiterated that Umno was no longer what it used to be.

He claimed he was not treated as an Umno member since Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi became the president and that party leaders were also not allowed to meet him or attend his functions.

“Even the Deputy Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak) was not allowed to see me until I exposed this. Some Umno leaders even suggested expelling me from the party,” he added.

“The attitude and treatment towards me after I resigned, clearly shows that not only am I not an Umno member, but I am also Umno's enemy. My leaving Umno just 'officiates' my position as a non-member.”