ALOR STAR, June 28 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad believes that Umno still has the chance of winning back the hearts of the Malays and its supporters within and outside the Barisan Nasional (BN) if it works hard to regain the people’s confidence.
He said Umno needed to do a post-mortem and expose the real reasons for the people’s rejection of BN after it had won comfortably in 11 previous general elections.
“The problem now is to cleanse Umno of corruption. If the party continues to give positions to the corrupt or field corrupt candidates, then it will be difficult for Umno to win in the next general election.
“Not all who had won seats in the party’s supreme council committed acts of corruption but the majority did,” the former premier told reporters after opening the annual general meeting of the Council of Former Elected
Representatives (Mubarak), Kedah chapter, here, today.
Dr Mahathir, who is also former Umno president, said although he was upset with corruption such as money politics in the party, he was at the same time glad that there were efforts to correct the situation and restore the people’s trust in the party.
“I know it is difficult to eradicate corruption but I hope it can be reduced. The corrupted should be ‘caned’, but when they are allowed to contest, (for posts or seats), then corruption becomes rampant,” he said.
Dr Mahathir, however, said that it was not impossible for Umno and BN to wrest back the states won by the opposition, provided the party got rid of corruption right from the bottom although the task was difficult.
“Umno must realise that the votes from its members and supporters in the BN alone are not enough to win a by-election,” he said.
He was, however, confident that with the support of Kedah Umno leaders, party vice-president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Afdal who was chosen to helm Kedah Umno could bring about positive change in efforts to win back the state from the opposition.
Asked on PAS’ spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat’s suggestion for a debate with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Dr Mahathir said it would be of no benefit to the people and even dismissed it as entertainment, unlike the United States presidential debate.
“A debate with PAS is a waste of time and it’ll be just entertainment,” he said, adding that elected representatives were not voted in to entertain the people with meaningless debates.
On the Manik Urai by-election in July, Dr Mahathir said he would help BN to campaign if asked. Nomination of candidates has been fixed for July 6 and if there is a contest, polling will be on July 14.
When asked to comment on PAS’ choice of a fish wholesaler to contest the state seat, Dr Mahathir said: “Now anyone can be a candidate. Even a postman can.”
Earlier, in his speech, Dr Mahathir said he was prepared to work at restoring Umno’s strength if his services were required, and that Umno should not blame the Chinese and Indian voters for BN’s dismal showing in the last general election.
“We have to speak the truth, and the reality is, the people are disappointed with Umno’s leadership. To be respected, you must be Malays with morals,” he said.
Mohd Shafie, in his speech, reiterated that he had no intention of becoming Kedah Menteri Besar or contesting in the state in the next general election, as he saw his appointment as Kedah Umno liaison chief as a responsibility and trust, and hoped that trivial issues right from the grassroot level be set aside.
Also present were Kedah Umno liaison deputy chairman Datuk Paduka Ahmad
Bashah Md Hanipah and Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir, who is also Jerlun member of parliament. — Bernama
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