Mahathir will rejoin Umno

(The Straits Times) – MALAYSIA'S former premier Mahathir Mohamad said on Saturday he will rejoin the ruling party Umno which he quit last year after falling out with his successor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Dr Mahathir, who spent more than two decades in power, hand-picked Mr Abdullah to replace him 2003 but was enraged by the new leader's decision to dismantle several of his pet projects.

Dr Mahathir publicly campaigned for his ouster after disastrous elections a year ago. Mr Abdullah eventually agreed to stand down and is expected to hand power to his deputy Najib Razak in the next few days.

'I will rejoin Umno. When – I will tell you later,' Dr Mahathir told reporters during a surprise visit to the closing session of the party's five-day annual congress.

The veteran politician had snubbed the meeting this week, after his son Mukhriz Mahathir failed in his bid to become youth wing chief – an influential post won instead by Mr Abdullah's son-in-law.

Dr Mahathir on Saturday endorsed a landmark speech by Mr Najib in which he outlined radical reforms to Umno after the humiliating elections, when the opposition claimed five of the 13 states and a third of seats in parliament.

Dr Mahathir also backed the election of Trade Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, an ally who will now be Mr Najib's deputy.

'Muhyiddin gives me the confidence that there will be changes,' he said.

Dr Mahathir quit Umno last May and urged other members to follow suit to force Mr Abdullah to resign over the March 2008 elections, which produced the worst results in the party's history.

Umno lawmakers rallied around Mr Abdullah, alleviating fears of an exodus that could have unseated the government, but the premier's days were numbered and in October he eventually agreed to stand down.