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SHAH ALAM: Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has welcomed Umno vice-president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin's willingness to contest for either of the party's top two posts.

“I think it is a very encouraging statement from him. I think others should also express their views.

“At the moment, he is the only one who has dared to voice his opinion,” said the former prime minister, adding that many Umno leaders were “afraid to speak their mind”.

“People should be free to voice their opinions. Nowadays, I talk to a lot of Umno leaders, and certainly the rank and file, and they have very definite views.

“But when I ask them to tell the leaders (their views), they say Oh no’. You don't say anything the leaders don't want to hear,” he said to reporters after a forum organised by the Alumni Look East Policy Society.

Dr Mahathir said nothing would change if the party constitution was not amended and if the 30% quota of support of divisions needed for a presidential contest remained.

“By December, maybe Datuk (Seri) Abdullah (Ahmad Badawi) will get more than 60 nominations but no one else can get near 60,” he said.

Muhyiddin: Too early to announce polls plan

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno vice-president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin says it is still too early for him to announce plans for the party polls in December despite persistent press queries wanting confirmation of any intention to run for any of the top two posts.

“It is still too early; the branches have not even had their meetings yet. It has not reached that stage yet,” he told reporters who swarmed him after the Umno 62nd anniversary gathering at the PWTC yesterday.

Sunday Star yesterday quoted Muhyiddin as saying that he had received a lot of feedback from “grassroots, advisers and proposers” who told him it was time to move up the party hierarchy.

Muhyiddin said yesterday that there was nothing yet to announce.

“The time (for branch and division meetings) is still far away. No parties have made any proposals. It will have to depend on current situation, which has not reached there yet,” he said.

Asked if he had decided which post he wanted to contest, he said he had not said anything on this matter.

Asked if he would be retaining his vice-presidency post, Muhyiddin replied: “I am already the vice-president. Why should I be concerned whether to maintain that or not? It is up to the delegates to decide.”

When asked if he would go for any of the top two posts if there were nominations from the ground, Muhyiddin reiterated that things had not reached that stage yet.

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