Mahathir refuses to quit Malaysia's ruling party
Posted: 28 June 2006 1626 hrs

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KUALA LUMPUR - Former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad said Wednesday he will not leave the ruling party and vowed to continue to speak out against his chosen successor's government.

Mahathir is embroiled in a bitter row with Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi which has seen Mahathir fiercely attack the government for its handling of the economy and national affairs.

The 80-year-old Mahathir said no one had the right to demand the resignation of a member of the ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) which he led for 22 years.

He was responding to comments on Monday by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Aziz who suggested Mahathir leave the party as a result of the protracted quarrel.

"UMNO does not belong to Nazri. The party belongs to all Malays. Nazri has no right on his own to demand that this person or that person leaves the party," Mahathir said.

"I was in UMNO before he was born," he was quoted as saying by the Star newspaper.

The feisty Mahathir also described Nazri as a "hatchet man among henchman" for Monday's comment against him.

Nazri made his remarks after Mahathir spoke on the weekend about the weaknesses of premier Abdullah's administration at a meeting attended by senior opposition leaders.

Nazri said Mahathir should quit UMNO for colluding with the opposition.

Mahathir, who handed power to Abdullah in 2003, still commands influence in UMNO, which is the largest political party in the country.

He began his attack on Abdullah's administration in May after it scrapped a project to build a bridge to Singapore due to the island republic's opposition.

Mahathir said the government led by Abdullah lacked "guts."

The former premier also questioned state-owned car-maker Proton Holdings Bhd's decision in December to sell indebted Italian motorcycle unit MV Agusta for one euro.

Mahathir said he was merely "sticking his neck out" because many people had approached him “to do something about the situation in the country," as they had been "feeling the pinch."

"I also see wrong things being done and it is my duty (to speak out). Lots of people are not angry with me," he said.

Abdullah has avoided confronting Mahathir directly, a typical approach in Malay culture to respect an elder, but has used his deputies to rebut Mahathir.

Analysts have said that Abdullah's position remains intact with the economy on track and the next election was not due until 2009.

- AFP /ls