Malaysian minister warns vote-buying rampant in ruling party
Posted: 10 August 2008 2115 hrs

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KUALA LUMPUR - A Malaysian minister warned Sunday that vote-buying in the ruling party is rampant and must be curbed to prevent serious harm to the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO).

The UMNO-led coalition's failure to address corruption on a national scale was a major factor in March general elections when voters dealt it an unprecedented setback, depriving it of its two-thirds majority in parliament.

"As party members, we must view this problem seriously and I regard UMNO now being in a danger zone if money politics continues unabated," party vice-president Muhyiddin Yassin said, according to the state Bernama news agency.

"I've received unofficial reports that it has become rampant at all levels and it is frightening if this becomes normal practice in future."

Muhyiddin is seen as a potential successor to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who has faced calls to quit since the elections, but Muhyiddin has said he will not challenge the premier at party leadership polls later this year.

The party vice-president, who is also trade minister, said that while vote-buying had in the past occurred in ballots for top UMNO posts, it had now spread to the branch level.

"It is sad if one day the people see this problem as synonymous with UMNO so the situation must be corrected before the next general election," he said, according to Bernama.

UMNO last month asked the country's anti-corruption watchdog to help it battle vote-buying in the heated contest for top posts during the party's general assembly from December 16 to 20.

- AFP/ir