Now Up To Delegates To Clean Up Umno, Says Dr M

KUALA LUMPUR, March 22 (Bernama)– Having wasted two chances, it is now up to Umno delegates to rid the party of corrupt leaders, said former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

He said firstly, the divisions did not do a very good job on this during the nomination process for the party's polls which will be held this week while Umno's disciplinary board also failed to arrest the scourge of money politics in Umno.

"Now a third opportunity arises and it is in the hands of the delegates attending Umno's general assembly to rectify the situation, failing which, the final chance will be with Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak (who will take over as Umno president and Prime Minister after the assembly).

"If Najib too picks tainted leaders in his Cabinet, I think all hopes for Umno to remain a strong party will be lost," he told reporters after delivering the keynote address at a gathering of Malay non-governmental organisations under the Perkasa umbrella, here today.

Some 2,500 delegates will vote in Umno leaders for the next term during the assembly from Tuesday till Saturday.

At today's function, Dr Mahathir had urged the Malays to unite and make changes to bring the community forward in the interest of their future generations.