Dr Mahathir Mohamad urges party members to follow suit. — Bernama pic
KUALA LUMPUR, May 19 — News reports say former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has quit the ruling party after a long feud with his successor Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Star online and Malaysiakini news portals say Mahathir is quitting the United Malays National Organisation party with immediate effect. He is urging other members to do the same.
Malaysiakini said Dr Mahathir announced this at a speech in Kedah earlier today.
It quoted him as saying: "I will only come back to the party when there is a change in leadership." He said his decision is a sign of no-confidence in the leadership of Prime Minister Abdullah.
Umno information chief Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib was reported to be surprised at Dr Mahathir's decision, but said it was the former prime minister's right to do so. "Every member has the right to join or leave the party," he said.
Muhammad, a former Umno vice-president and Selangor Menteri Besar, said that "we will wait and see" on whether Umno will call for an emergency meeting.
Dr Mahathir appointed Abdullah to succeed him in 2003 when he retired after 22 years as prime minister. But the two fell out within a year.
Dr Mahathir joined the Umno at its inception in 1946 and was known for his
outspoken views from the very start. He became an MP in 1964 and narrowly lost the Kota Setar Selatan seat the following election in 1969 after declaring he didn't need Chinese votes to win.
Following the May 13, 1969 riots, he was sacked from the Umno Supreme Council on July 12. While in political wilderness, he wrote his book, "The Malay Dilemma", which was promptly banned. Malaysia's next prime minister Tun Abdul Razak incorporated some of Mahathir's proposals from the book in his New Economic Policy.
Dr Mahathir rejoined Umno on March 7, 1972 and the ban on his book was lifted when he became prime minister in 1981, wielding power for 22 years before retiring in 2003.
Never one to shy away from controversy, he was credited for engineering Malaysia's rapid modernisation, promoting so-called Asian values and known for his strident criticisms of western and developed countries. He was considered as one of Asia's most influential leaders.
Courtesy: Maalaysian Insider
