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 ©The
Star (Used by permission)
ALOR STAR: Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad
and veteran party man Tan Sri Sanusi Junid announced Monday that they are
quitting Umno.
Dr Mahathir Mohamad announced this on Monday at 12.35pm, citing a lack of
confidence in the current leadership.
"I am quitting Umno today," he told about 1,000 people, mostly Kedah Umno
members, at a talk here on Monday.
"I will write a letter to Umno headquarters to inform that I have quit the
party," he said.
He has been critical of his appointed successor Prime Minister Datuk Seri
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, blaming the current Umno president for the party's
disappointing performance in the 12th general election.
The ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, of which Umno is the largest
component party, won the March 8 election with a simple majority, and saw
four more states join Kelantan under Opposition rule.
Dr Mahathir urged other party members to quit too, as a way of pressuring
Abdullah into vacating his post.
However, he advised those who do quit not to join any opposition party,
adding they can all rejoin the party once there is a change in leadership.
Abdullah has so far refused all calls for him to step down, and said he
would defend his presidency in the party polls in December.
Sanusi, who is a former Kedah Mentri Besar, also quit the party on Monday.
PM Abdullah: Shocked
Meanwhile, Abdullah said he was shocked by the decision and,
despite their differences, had not expected him to leave.
However, the beleaguered premier said he would stay on and fight for the party.
“Perhaps some other members might leave too, but this won’t entirely affect the
party. It all depends on whether the rest want to stay on and continue to fight
for the party too,” he said.
In KLANG: Former Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo
said Dr Mahathir’s decision will affect public perception of Umno’s strength and
possibly discourage youngsters from joining the party.
Many of those aged below 40 years grew up during Dr Mahathir’s premiership and
hold him in high regard.
“Dr Mahathir’s resignation will have a huge impact on the trust that this group
of people, including the Malays, have in Umno and its capability to lead the
country,” he said.
He said youngsters wanting to join the party now might also shy away as
questions would be raised on Umno’s ability to be effective as a party.
“These youngsters might not join other parties but they will stay away until
Umno can mend the current situation and avoid splits in the party,” he said.
In PUTRAJAYA, Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said it was a bad
time for Dr Mahathir to quit Umno as the party was going through a difficult
period.
He said the resignation would not help in efforts to rebuild Umno.
"He is doing more damage than good; whatever it is, the party is still looking
for a new direction and we need everyone to remain united and not split," he
said.
Syed Hamid expressed fear for the future of Umno because Dr Mahathir had a great
influence and a person of his stature could rattle and destroy the party.
Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad said Dr
Mahathir's hatred for Abdullah was seemingly stronger than his love for Umno.
He said the former premier should realise that asking others to follow his
footsteps would only make it easier for Pakatan Rakyat to take over the Federal
Government.
"What he is saying is that if you love Umno, leave Umno -- it does not make
sense," he said.
Shahrir also said that Jerlun MP Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir should be the first to
take up his father's suggestion to quit.
Umno information chief Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib said he was surprised at
the decision, but added that it was Dr Mahathir's right to do so.
"Every member has the right to join or leave the party," he said.
Asked if Umno would convene an emergency meeting, the former Umno vice-president
and Selangor Mentri Besar said that "we will wait and see."
The next Umno Supreme Council meeting is scheduled to be held within two to
three weeks.
Urged to reconsider
In IPOH, MCA secretary-general Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan
called on Dr Mahathir to reconsider his decision.
Speaking at a press conference after a Wesak Day celebration at the Malaysian
Buddhist Associatino (Perak branch) hall here, Ong said he was saddened by Dr
Mahathir's sudden announcement.
Barisan Nasional was currently facing a huge challenge and his decision would
not benefit Umno and the coalition, said Ong, who is also Housing and Local
Government Minister.
As a former Prime Minister, his words carried weight and would affect all levels
of the people including party leaders, he said.
“We do not hope for any more problems and neither should we create more,” he
said. “Our country needs stability and not uncertainty. His decision would paint
a bad impression for the rakyat (citizenry) and foreign investors,” he added.
Lumut Umno division chief Datuk Dr Zambry Abd Kadir also urged Dr Mahathir to
reconsider his decision.
“I feel very sad with Tun's decision to leave the party. It should not have
happened in the first place,” he said.
Dr Zambry, who is also Pangkor assemblyman, said Dr Mahathir was a great leader
who provided a sense of direction and ideas for the party and country.
The problem involved a former president and the present one, he said, adding
that it so happened that the predecessor had appointed the current one.
“So it is a complex issue,” he said, adding that the current leadership must
immediately find ways to overcome the problems in the party.
Dr Zambry pointed out that it was not unprecedented for former party presidents
to quit Umno, adding that Dr Mahathir was the party's fourth president to leave
the party.
The other three were the late Datuk Onn Jaafar, Tunku Abdul Rahman and Tun
Hussein Onn, he added.
In PETALING JAYA, Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Azalina Othman
Said said Dr Mahathir's decision would not solve the problems faced by the party
and would instead give more strength to the Opposition.
"At this time when the party is under stress, all parties including leaders and
former leaders must work together to heal Umno so it becomes firm and strong,"
she said.
In MALACCA, Umno veteran and stalwart Tan Sri Aziz Tapa, 85, said that he
was shocked at the news and was at a loss for words.
“How can it be when he (Mahathir) says that he loves Umno? I met him only few
days ago in Johor and everything seemed okay. What he is doing is not right,” he
said when contacted here on Monday.
Umno supreme council member Tan Sri Rahim Thamby Chik described the move as an
"interesting but tragic development" for Umno.
"It's shocking news to me. If true, then I would say that it is an interesting
yet tragic development for the party,” he said.
Reacting to Dr Mahathir's resignation, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri
Mohamed Khaled Nordin said, “This will weaken the party at a time when it is
facing its enemies.”
Dr Mahathir joined Umno at its inception in 1946.
He became a Member of Parliament in 1964 when he won the Kota Setar Selatan
seat.
He lost the seat in the following general election in 1969.
Following the May 13, 1969, riots Dr Mahathir was sacked from the Umno Supreme
Council on July 12 because of the widespread distribution of his letter to first
Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman criticising Tunku’s manner of handling the
country’s administration.
Dr Mahathir rejoined Umno on March 7, 1972 and was appointed Senator in 1973. He
relinquished the senatorship post a year later to contest the Kubang Pasu seat
in the general elections. He was returned unopposed and was appointed Minister
of Education.
In 1975, Dr Mahathir became one of the three vice-presidents of Umno.
Tun Hussein Onn appointed Dr Mahathir Deputy Prime Minister on Sept 15, 1978.
Dr Mahathir was Prime Minister of Malaysia from July 16, 1981, until Oct 31,
2003.
Timeline
1946: Joined United Malays National Organisation (Umno).
1947: While a medical student, he wrote extensive
anti-colonial commentaries in Malay newspapers under the pen-name "Che Det".
1957: Resigned from government service as a
doctor. Starts private practice.
1964: Entered active politics as Kota Star Selatan
MP.
1965-1969: Member, Umno Supreme Council.
Sept 1969: Expelled from Umno for disciplinary
reasons. Re-admitted on March 7, 1972.
June 1972: Elected a member of the Umno Supreme
Council with the highest number of votes. Lost in the election for an Umno
Vice-President post.
Dec 1972: Appointed a Senator by the Kedah State
Legislative Assembly.
1974-2004: MP for Kubang Pasu, Kedah.
Sept 1974: Education Minister.
June 1975: Umno Vice-President.
March 1976: Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of
Education.
1977: Acting Chairman, Umno Liaison Committee,
Malacca.
Jan 1978: Deputy Prime Minister & Trade and
Industry Minister.
May 1978: Chairman, Perak Umno Liaison Committee.
Sept 1978: Umno Deputy President.
June 1981: Barisan Nasional Chairman.
June 1981: Umno President.
July 16 1981: Fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia,
Minister of Defence (until 1986) and Minister of Home Affairs (until 1999).
July 17 1987: Umno Political Bureau Chairman.
Feb 16 1988: Pro-tem President of Umno Baru. Umno
was declared an illegal society on Feb 4, 1988.
Dec 1993: Kelantan Umno Chairman. Chairman,
Politics and Constitution Committees of the Supreme Council.
Sept 1998-Jan 1999: Finance Minister. June 2001 -
Finance Minister.
June 22 2002: Announced his intention to resign
from all political and government posts at the final day of the 56th Umno
assembly. Appeals from Umno Supreme Council members.
Oct 31 2003: Retired as PM and Umno president
after 22 years.
Sept 2006: Fails in bid to be an Umno delegate for
the Umno general assembly coming in ninth out of 15 contestants in the
Kubang Pasu division.
May 19 2008: Quits Umno
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Before we jump the gun and start analysing the situation, we need to hear Badawi's reaction. As well as the comments of potential future PMs e.g. Najib, Muhyiddin, Ku Li, and Anwar Ibrahim.
Alex Tan Ken Seng