Rafidah: Dr Mahathir is disloyal

Rafidah: Dr Mahathir is disloyal
21 May, 2008

(The Star) KUALA LUMPUR: Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's resignation was an act of disloyalty to the party, said Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz.

She said she was shocked to hear about Dr Mahathir's departure, considering that he was someone who always talked about being loyal to Umno.

'We understand that the issues raised by Tun was about leadership but this is a process that must take place graciously and it should not come to (the level of) bringing people down.'

Rafidah said that Umno's position as the backbone of the Government also had to be taken into consideration.

'What he did was to be disloyal but I think most members are still loyal and that everyone will remain calm,' she added.

In Malacca, Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam called on Dr Mahathir to reconsider his decision.

He also urged party members to remain calm and loyal to the party in the light of recent developments.

'It is crucial for party members to remain steadfast and to strengthen Umno.

On Dr Mahathir's move being capitalised by the Opposition, Mohd Ali said the Opposition would try to capitalise on every single issue if possible, including resorting to wearing turbans and songkok merely to entice support from the people.

Perak Umno chief Datuk Seri Mohamad Tajol Rosli Ghazali expressed shock and disappointment over Dr Mahathir's decision.

All those in Umno and the Malay community too, he believed, were saddened by the sudden turn of events.

'After Dr Mahathir had led Umno for 22 years, his decision to leave the party is beyond expectations.

'On behalf of the state liaison committee and for the sake of our race, religion and country, I beg Tun Dr Mahathir to abandon his intention to leave so that we can together strengthen Umno and complete our unfinished struggles,' he said.

Tajol Rosli also called on all Umno members to remain calm.

Batu Pahat Umno division chief Dr Puad Zarkashi hoped that senior Umno leaders would meet Dr Mahathir to persuade him to reconsider his decision.

'Obviously Tun is sending a strong signal to Abdullah to step down and to take the power transition seriously,' he added.

Nazri says Dr Mahathir blackmailing Umno

Tuesday, 20 May 2008 07:45pm

Bernama KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 (Bernama) -- The decision by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to quit Umno is deemed as blackmailing the party, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz said Tuesday. "Nobody, no matter how big he is, has the right to use dirty tactics to bring down a person who is democratically elected," he said in reference to Dr Mahathir's move to unseat Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as Umno president with his decision to quit Monday. "It's not something that we condone and it's undemocratic; that's blackmailing the party," he said at the Parliament lobby when asked to comment on Dr Mahathir's decision to leave the party. Dr Mahathir announced Monday that he had resigned as an Umno member with immediate effect together with his wife, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, saying that he had lost confidence in the leadership of Abdullah as the party president and would return to Umno only after Abdullah had stepped down or was no longer the prime minister. Dr Mahathir, who had led Umno and the country for 22 years, also suggested that branch and divisional leaders in the party resign as well as a signal for Abdullah to step down as party president before the Umno elections in December. Abdullah has stated that he would contest the president's post in the forthcoming Umno elections. Asked whether Umno would accept the former prime minister back if he wanted to rejoin the party in future, Mohamed Nazri said party leaders would decide on the matter when the time came. "This is democracy. Nobody (in Umno) asked him to leave, he is no longer a child. I am sure he has given it thought and still wants to leave," he said. Earlier, Members of Parliament (MPs) from Umno expressed their solid support for Abdullah as party president and gave the assurance that they would not leave Umno. The statement of support was made at a special one-hour meeting Tuesday with the prime minister when the Parliament sitting broke for lunch. Asked if Dr Mahathir's decision to quit Umno meant that he had cut ties with the party, Mohamed Nazri said it was not fair to pose such a question to him or other Umno members. "Don't ask me ... ask him," he said in reference to Dr Mahathir. "We did not sack him, so it is not fair to ask us in Umno because we did not leave Umno. He (Dr Mahathir) left Umno," he said. Asked whether Dr Mahathir's son and Jerlun MP Datuk Mukhriz had attended the special meeting with the prime minister, Mohamed Nazri said he was not sure of that. He said he hoped that the media would not put pressure on or force Mukhriz into a difficult situation over his father's move.