Dr M cause of Umno’s destruction, says Hindraf

(The Malaysian Insider) Attempting to give him a taste of his own medicine, the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) has claimed former president Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed to be the cause of Umno's current crisis.

The former prime minister has spent much of the past few years criticising his self-appointed successor Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi, culminating in acid attacks for causing the Umno-dominated Barisan Nasional's (BN) setback in last year's general election.

Today, Hindraf chairman P Waytha Moorthy said that it was in fact Dr Mahathir who was the "architect" of "corruption, nepotism, prejudice and cronyism" to Umno.

Welcoming Pakatan Rakyat (PR)'s by-election victory in Kuala Terengganu as a sign that the public is disgusted with Umno, he said that the public has lost any faith in finding honest politicians within BN.

"With Mahathirism's tutelage, the whole Barisan National clan is out of touch with the reality and the needs of the public for governance that is based on equality and fairness for all Malaysians," Waytha said in a statement to the press.

He added that Dr Mahathir's leadership of Umno and BN saw it fail to serve competently and the governing coalition now lives on "past glories" in "blatant arrogance and ignorance" of the will of the people.

"The absence of these elements has prompted the will of change from the public to restore integrity in our basic institutions," he continued.

Waytha said that unless BN faces the reality and listens to the people on issues like abolition of the Internal Security Act and equality in socio-development, "it will be digging its own grave."

"Listening to Mahathir will only speed up the process."