Umno leaders pour scorn on Pakatan’s nomination of Mahathir as PM

KUALA LUMPUR — Leaders from the ruling United Malays National Organisation (Umno) have slammed the opposition’s nomination of Dr Mahathir Mohamed as its prime ministerial candidate should it win the next general elections.

Leading the charge, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said sarcastically that there was no other person more qualified to bring damage and ruin to the country than Dr Mahathir.

“This statesman had served for 22 years. If he is to be given the same position as before, he will likely repeat his mistakes,” said Mr Zahid, who is also acting as the deputy president of Umno.

“This recycling of past mistakes is very much awaited by Malaysians. There is no other leader more qualified than him to bring about damage and ruin to the country.”

Pakatan Harapan (PH) announced at its convention last Sunday that its prime minister and deputy prime minister candidates would be Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia chairman Dr Mahathir and Parti Keadilan Rakyat president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail respectively, ahead of the 14th general election this year.

Leaders from PH parties PKR and the Democratic Action Party had previously accused Dr Mahathir of abuse of power during his administration.

Dr Mahathir’s tenure as premier also saw the rise of the reformasi movement in the late 1990s following the sacking of his then deputy Anwar Ibrahim, who is now his ally in PH.

Tourism and Culture Minister Nazri Aziz has called the nomination “regressive”, comparing it to Robert Mugabe’s resignation last November as Zimbabwe president amid public and political pressure after holding office for 37 years.

“A country like Zimbabwe can kick out a 93-year-old man. Has Mahathir got leadership qualities now?” Mr Nazri was quoted by The Star Online as saying.

PKR had agreed to the nomination of Dr Mahathir on the condition that he will seek a royal pardon for Anwar – due to be freed from jail in June for sodomy – to pave the way for his ban from politics to be lifted so that he could take over as Prime Minister.

An Umno supreme council member claimed that the deal will not hold even if PH wins the next election as Dr Mahathir would want to cling on to power.

“Dr Mahathir will ensure that more than half of the members of parliament would support him in staying on as prime minister if there is any motion for a vote of no confidence against him in Parliament,” said Mr Mohd Puad Zarkashi, adding that Dr Mahathir would then groom his son Mukhriz Mahathir to become the next PM as he does not intend to lead the nation until age 100. AGENCIES