Dr M says ISA should be used against corrupt Umno members
Malaysian Insider (12/11/08): Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today suggested the Internal Security Act (ISA) should be used against corrupt Umno members.
He also backed Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as the best candidate in the race for the Umno deputy presidency while suggesting that the other two challengers are involved in money politics.
"That's a good way to use ISA, not for some writer who writes nonsense," he said of corrupt Umno members and also in an apparent reference to Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamarudin, who was released recently from ISA detention.
Dr Mahathir, who has become increasingly vocal in recent weeks, said there is "a strong possibility that Umno deputy presidential candidates are involved in money politics."
"Because some people who were at the bottom during the first week, suddenly shot up," said Mahathir when asked to comment whether the contest for the Umno deputy presidency is tainted with money politics.
The contest for the party's deputy presidency is now a three way tussle between Muhyiddin, who garnered 92 nominations, Datuk Seri Ali Rustam and Tan Sri Muhammad Muhd Taib.
Ali and Muhammad received the minimum nominations, 39 on the last weekend of the Umno divisional meetings. Ali now has 48 nominations while Muhammad, 45.
"Everybody knows that Umno leaders are using money, when the election comes, the people will reject them. Not everyone is but the majority is. So you can be an Umno leader, but the people will reject you. When we have lost, there is no point in becoming Umno president," said Mahathir.
"Who wants to elect somebody who bought his way up," he added
"When you know somebody who has got very bad history and still getting support. That history I think has relevance to the support," he said when asked about the three cornered fight for the deputy presidency.
However he said among all the three candidates, Muhyiddin is the most qualified.
He recommended that all party leaders be investigated and removed from the party if found guilty.
"We need to clean up the party. Now you see the opposition is very quiet and Umno is seen as a very corrupt party, so opposition will talk about how they are not corrupt," said Mahathir.
He said that Umno leaders who are involved in money politics should be thrown into prison.
'Hanky-panky' in Umno deputy president race: Dr M
The Star (12/11/08): Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has raised questions about the credibility of certain candidates contesting the number two post in Umno asking how a candidate with a very bad history had managed to qualify to contest at the last minute.
"There is a lot of hanky-panky. When you know someone with a very bad history is still getting support there is a strong possibility that money politics is involved because, somehow, someone has come from very far behind to keep up.
"At first, in the initial weeks, some people succeeded in garnering enough nominations while others remained at the bottom. Then, suddenly, nominations for these people shot up. Why?" he asked reporters after delivering a keynote address on "Bangsa Malaysia" at the Perdana Leadership Foundation on Wednesday.
There are currently three contenders in the deputy president’s race - Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin who is leading the pack with 91 nominations while Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam has 47 and Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib has 46.
Muhyiddin was the first to qualify for the race. Candidates need 39 nominations to qualify for the race.
Dr Mahathir said of the three candidates, he believed Muhyiddin was the best person for the job.
On money politics, Dr Mahathir said the only way to clamp down on the scourge in Umno was for all the names in the list of 900 complaints to be investigated and then removed from the party completely.
"They should be thrown in jail. That is a good way to use the Internal Security Act against them and not against someone writing some nonsense.
"Umno must be cleaned up. If they don’t, they will lose in the next general elections because the whole country knows that Umno leaders use money to put themselves up there.
"What’s the point of being party president when you are going to lose the elections?" he said.
Dr Mahathir also defended the quota system that was first put in place by him when he was party president, adding that this in itself was a safeguard against money politics.
"It was thought then it would be difficult to bribe 60 divisions. But as you can see, they can bribe 60 divisions and so the quota system has failed," he said, adding that even if direct elections were put into place, there would still be money politics.
Buang pemimpin amal politik wang dari Umno - Mahathir
mStar (12/11/08): Pemimpin-pemimpin Umno yang mengamalkan politik wang patut dibuang daripada parti supaya ia menjadi pengajaran kepada yang lain, kata bekas Presiden Umno, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad.
Dr. Mahathir berkata, seluruh negara mengetahui bahawa pemimpin-pemimpin Umno, walaupun bukannya semua, mengamalkan politik wang ketika pemilihan parti.
Justeru, kata beliau, mereka yang mengamalkan politik wang boleh menjadi pemimpin tetapi tidak mungkin dipilih oleh rakyat dalam pilihan raya.
"Jika tidak kita akan kalah dalam pilihan raya seterusnya," katanya.
"Seluruh negara tahu pemimpin Umno guna wang. Bila datang kepada pemimpin semuanya korup tetapi tidak semua guna wang.
"Kamu boleh jadi pemimpin Umno tetapi tidak mungkin akan dipilih rakyat," kata beliau kepada pemberita di sini hari ini.
Bekas Perdana Menteri itu tidak menolak kemungkinan gejala politik wang juga wujud bagi jawatan Timbalan Presiden dengan mengambil kira keputusan proses pencalonan apabila persidangan perwakilan bahawan berakhir 9 November lalu.
Minggu lalu, Pengerusi Lembaga Disiplin Umno, Tengku Tan Sri Ahmad Rithauddeen Tengku Ismail menyifatkan gejala politik wang sebagai paling serius.
Beliau meminta pucuk pimpinan Umno segera menyelamatkan parti itu daripada kehancuran berikutan berleluasanya politik wang pada pemilihan sekarang yang disifatkan paling serius dengan lebih 900 aduan telah diterima setakat ini.
Malah, Sabtu lalu, Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak berkata, anggota Umno yang terbabit dalam politik wang pada pemilihan parti Mac tahun depan sepatutnya tidak diberi tempat dalam kepimpinan parti.
Sambil berharap anggota Umno memilih pemimpin yang bersih untuk mengangkat perjuangan parti bangsa Melayu itu ke peringkat yang lebih tinggi lagi, Najib yang juga Timbalan Perdana Menteri berkata, jika mereka yang terbabit dalam mainan politik wang tetap diberikan tempat, akhirnya ia akan merosakkan kredibiliti Umno itu sendiri.
Ketika diminta mengulas lanjut, Dr. Mahathir berkata, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin merupakan calon terbaik bagi jawatan Timbalan Presiden.
Selain Muhyiddin yang juga Naib Presiden, turut layak bertanding jawatan tersebut ialah seorang lagi Naib Presiden, Datuk Seri Mohd. Ali Rustam dan bekas Naib Presiden, Tan Sri Muhammad Muhamad Taib.
Muhammad kini merupakan anggota Kabinet dan Ketua Penerangan Umno serta Pengerusi Badan Perhubungan Umno Selangor.
Bagaimanapun jelas Dr. Mahathir, menghapuskan sistem kuota bukan cara untuk mengatasi politik wang.
Ketika ditanya cadangannya menghapuskan politik wang, Dr. Mahathir berkata: "Saya ada cangan tetapi tak tahulah sama ada akan diterima atau tidak."
Ali Rustam’s prospects grow as Muhyiddin faces competition
Malaysian Insider (4/11/08): When Datuk Seri Ali Rustam announced his intention to run for the Umno deputy presidency, it looked like he would not get enough nominations, but his campaign gained momentum after Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said no one should stop Ali from contesting.
The Malacca Chief Minister now has 32 nominations from the party's divisions and needs only seven more to qualify for the contest. A total of 50 divisions are scheduled to meet this weekend.
While Ali refused to predict the outcome of the race he is confident that he will qualify for the contest by the end of the divisional meetings.
"I hope I can get the remaining seven nominations by this weekend," he told The Malaysian Insider.
Unlike Datuk Seri Najib Razak, whose journey to the party's top leadership has been easy, the frontrunner for the deputy presidency, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, may have to let the delegates decide on his political future.
Some observers have noted that Ali stands a good chance of defeating Muhyiddin in March next year if he gets to the starting block.
In 2004, Ali obtained more votes than Muhyiddin in the battle for the vice-president’s posts.
Muhyiddin's popularity is also not particularly high if one were to look at the party's voting trend since 1996.
He became a vice-president for the first time in 1993 by obtaining the highest number of votes before he was embarrassingly defeated in 1996 when he came out sixth with less than 30 per cent of the votes.
Muhyiddin made a comeback in 2000 when he secured third place. In 2004, he retained the vice-presidency when he again came out third, but a Malay daily reported there was a recount of the votes for him and Tan Sri Muhammad Muhd Taib. Muhyiddin won by only 57 votes.
"It's a different game for the deputy presidency," said Ayer Hitam Umno chief Datuk Samsol Bari Jamali, when asked about Ali's chances of winning the contest and his victory in 2004.
Ayer Hitam in Johor has nominated Ali for the No. 2 post, the third division in Johor not to nominate Muhyiddin after Johor Bahru and Kota Tinggi.
"There are three seats for the vice-presidency so the delegates may have different considerations," he told The Malaysian Insider.
But for some Umno grassroots leaders, past results should not be read seriously.
"It's all about money; the vote count doesn't reflect popularity or ability," said an Umno member from Malacca who is very critical of Ali but refused to state his inclination.
He added that apart from money, recommendations for Datukships have also been made to entice divisional leaders.
A commentary in Harakah recently pointed out that the high number of Datukships conferred recently by the Governor of Malacca to divisional leaders may be advantageous for Ali.
But Ali has also relied a lot on his close relationships with grassroots leaders and members to get nominated.
"He has been taking care of the division since 1999, so naturally the delegates preferred him," said Permatang Pauh Umno division chief Datuk Abdul Jalil Majid.
At the Permatang Pauh Umno meeting on Oct 26, Ali defeated Muhyiddin by almost 100 votes for the nomination.
Dr M: Money politics will ruin Umno in GE (Malaysiakini 12/11/08)
Dr M: Beli undi jejaskan peluang Umno menang p'raya (Malaysiakini 12/11/08)
Malaysian Insider (12/11/08): Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today suggested the Internal Security Act (ISA) should be used against corrupt Umno members.
He also backed Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as the best candidate in the race for the Umno deputy presidency while suggesting that the other two challengers are involved in money politics.
"That's a good way to use ISA, not for some writer who writes nonsense," he said of corrupt Umno members and also in an apparent reference to Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamarudin, who was released recently from ISA detention.
Dr Mahathir, who has become increasingly vocal in recent weeks, said there is "a strong possibility that Umno deputy presidential candidates are involved in money politics."
"Because some people who were at the bottom during the first week, suddenly shot up," said Mahathir when asked to comment whether the contest for the Umno deputy presidency is tainted with money politics.
The contest for the party's deputy presidency is now a three way tussle between Muhyiddin, who garnered 92 nominations, Datuk Seri Ali Rustam and Tan Sri Muhammad Muhd Taib.
Ali and Muhammad received the minimum nominations, 39 on the last weekend of the Umno divisional meetings. Ali now has 48 nominations while Muhammad, 45.
"Everybody knows that Umno leaders are using money, when the election comes, the people will reject them. Not everyone is but the majority is. So you can be an Umno leader, but the people will reject you. When we have lost, there is no point in becoming Umno president," said Mahathir.
"Who wants to elect somebody who bought his way up," he added
"When you know somebody who has got very bad history and still getting support. That history I think has relevance to the support," he said when asked about the three cornered fight for the deputy presidency.
However he said among all the three candidates, Muhyiddin is the most qualified.
He recommended that all party leaders be investigated and removed from the party if found guilty.
"We need to clean up the party. Now you see the opposition is very quiet and Umno is seen as a very corrupt party, so opposition will talk about how they are not corrupt," said Mahathir.
He said that Umno leaders who are involved in money politics should be thrown into prison.
'Hanky-panky' in Umno deputy president race: Dr M
The Star (12/11/08): Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has raised questions about the credibility of certain candidates contesting the number two post in Umno asking how a candidate with a very bad history had managed to qualify to contest at the last minute.
"There is a lot of hanky-panky. When you know someone with a very bad history is still getting support there is a strong possibility that money politics is involved because, somehow, someone has come from very far behind to keep up.
"At first, in the initial weeks, some people succeeded in garnering enough nominations while others remained at the bottom. Then, suddenly, nominations for these people shot up. Why?" he asked reporters after delivering a keynote address on "Bangsa Malaysia" at the Perdana Leadership Foundation on Wednesday.
There are currently three contenders in the deputy president’s race - Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin who is leading the pack with 91 nominations while Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam has 47 and Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib has 46.
Muhyiddin was the first to qualify for the race. Candidates need 39 nominations to qualify for the race.
Dr Mahathir said of the three candidates, he believed Muhyiddin was the best person for the job.
On money politics, Dr Mahathir said the only way to clamp down on the scourge in Umno was for all the names in the list of 900 complaints to be investigated and then removed from the party completely.
"They should be thrown in jail. That is a good way to use the Internal Security Act against them and not against someone writing some nonsense.
"Umno must be cleaned up. If they don’t, they will lose in the next general elections because the whole country knows that Umno leaders use money to put themselves up there.
"What’s the point of being party president when you are going to lose the elections?" he said.
Dr Mahathir also defended the quota system that was first put in place by him when he was party president, adding that this in itself was a safeguard against money politics.
"It was thought then it would be difficult to bribe 60 divisions. But as you can see, they can bribe 60 divisions and so the quota system has failed," he said, adding that even if direct elections were put into place, there would still be money politics.
Buang pemimpin amal politik wang dari Umno - Mahathir
mStar (12/11/08): Pemimpin-pemimpin Umno yang mengamalkan politik wang patut dibuang daripada parti supaya ia menjadi pengajaran kepada yang lain, kata bekas Presiden Umno, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad.
Dr. Mahathir berkata, seluruh negara mengetahui bahawa pemimpin-pemimpin Umno, walaupun bukannya semua, mengamalkan politik wang ketika pemilihan parti.
Justeru, kata beliau, mereka yang mengamalkan politik wang boleh menjadi pemimpin tetapi tidak mungkin dipilih oleh rakyat dalam pilihan raya.
"Jika tidak kita akan kalah dalam pilihan raya seterusnya," katanya.
"Seluruh negara tahu pemimpin Umno guna wang. Bila datang kepada pemimpin semuanya korup tetapi tidak semua guna wang.
"Kamu boleh jadi pemimpin Umno tetapi tidak mungkin akan dipilih rakyat," kata beliau kepada pemberita di sini hari ini.
Bekas Perdana Menteri itu tidak menolak kemungkinan gejala politik wang juga wujud bagi jawatan Timbalan Presiden dengan mengambil kira keputusan proses pencalonan apabila persidangan perwakilan bahawan berakhir 9 November lalu.
Minggu lalu, Pengerusi Lembaga Disiplin Umno, Tengku Tan Sri Ahmad Rithauddeen Tengku Ismail menyifatkan gejala politik wang sebagai paling serius.
Beliau meminta pucuk pimpinan Umno segera menyelamatkan parti itu daripada kehancuran berikutan berleluasanya politik wang pada pemilihan sekarang yang disifatkan paling serius dengan lebih 900 aduan telah diterima setakat ini.
Malah, Sabtu lalu, Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak berkata, anggota Umno yang terbabit dalam politik wang pada pemilihan parti Mac tahun depan sepatutnya tidak diberi tempat dalam kepimpinan parti.
Sambil berharap anggota Umno memilih pemimpin yang bersih untuk mengangkat perjuangan parti bangsa Melayu itu ke peringkat yang lebih tinggi lagi, Najib yang juga Timbalan Perdana Menteri berkata, jika mereka yang terbabit dalam mainan politik wang tetap diberikan tempat, akhirnya ia akan merosakkan kredibiliti Umno itu sendiri.
Ketika diminta mengulas lanjut, Dr. Mahathir berkata, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin merupakan calon terbaik bagi jawatan Timbalan Presiden.
Selain Muhyiddin yang juga Naib Presiden, turut layak bertanding jawatan tersebut ialah seorang lagi Naib Presiden, Datuk Seri Mohd. Ali Rustam dan bekas Naib Presiden, Tan Sri Muhammad Muhamad Taib.
Muhammad kini merupakan anggota Kabinet dan Ketua Penerangan Umno serta Pengerusi Badan Perhubungan Umno Selangor.
Bagaimanapun jelas Dr. Mahathir, menghapuskan sistem kuota bukan cara untuk mengatasi politik wang.
Ketika ditanya cadangannya menghapuskan politik wang, Dr. Mahathir berkata: "Saya ada cangan tetapi tak tahulah sama ada akan diterima atau tidak."
Ali Rustam’s prospects grow as Muhyiddin faces competition
Malaysian Insider (4/11/08): When Datuk Seri Ali Rustam announced his intention to run for the Umno deputy presidency, it looked like he would not get enough nominations, but his campaign gained momentum after Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said no one should stop Ali from contesting.
The Malacca Chief Minister now has 32 nominations from the party's divisions and needs only seven more to qualify for the contest. A total of 50 divisions are scheduled to meet this weekend.
While Ali refused to predict the outcome of the race he is confident that he will qualify for the contest by the end of the divisional meetings.
"I hope I can get the remaining seven nominations by this weekend," he told The Malaysian Insider.
Unlike Datuk Seri Najib Razak, whose journey to the party's top leadership has been easy, the frontrunner for the deputy presidency, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, may have to let the delegates decide on his political future.
Some observers have noted that Ali stands a good chance of defeating Muhyiddin in March next year if he gets to the starting block.
In 2004, Ali obtained more votes than Muhyiddin in the battle for the vice-president’s posts.
Muhyiddin's popularity is also not particularly high if one were to look at the party's voting trend since 1996.
He became a vice-president for the first time in 1993 by obtaining the highest number of votes before he was embarrassingly defeated in 1996 when he came out sixth with less than 30 per cent of the votes.
Muhyiddin made a comeback in 2000 when he secured third place. In 2004, he retained the vice-presidency when he again came out third, but a Malay daily reported there was a recount of the votes for him and Tan Sri Muhammad Muhd Taib. Muhyiddin won by only 57 votes.
"It's a different game for the deputy presidency," said Ayer Hitam Umno chief Datuk Samsol Bari Jamali, when asked about Ali's chances of winning the contest and his victory in 2004.
Ayer Hitam in Johor has nominated Ali for the No. 2 post, the third division in Johor not to nominate Muhyiddin after Johor Bahru and Kota Tinggi.
"There are three seats for the vice-presidency so the delegates may have different considerations," he told The Malaysian Insider.
But for some Umno grassroots leaders, past results should not be read seriously.
"It's all about money; the vote count doesn't reflect popularity or ability," said an Umno member from Malacca who is very critical of Ali but refused to state his inclination.
He added that apart from money, recommendations for Datukships have also been made to entice divisional leaders.
A commentary in Harakah recently pointed out that the high number of Datukships conferred recently by the Governor of Malacca to divisional leaders may be advantageous for Ali.
But Ali has also relied a lot on his close relationships with grassroots leaders and members to get nominated.
"He has been taking care of the division since 1999, so naturally the delegates preferred him," said Permatang Pauh Umno division chief Datuk Abdul Jalil Majid.
At the Permatang Pauh Umno meeting on Oct 26, Ali defeated Muhyiddin by almost 100 votes for the nomination.
Dr M: Money politics will ruin Umno in GE (Malaysiakini 12/11/08)
Dr M: Beli undi jejaskan peluang Umno menang p'raya (Malaysiakini 12/11/08)
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