Mahathir: Reject corrupt candidates

(The Star) – As Umno goes into election mode, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has called on the 146,500 delegates to reject corrupt candidates.

He said voting in corrupt leaders would be detrimental to the party, as they risk facing the brunt of the electorates in the next general election.

“If we choose corrupt leaders, they would have no qualms selling out the race,” he said on his blog.

Dr Mahathir also called for the weeding out of deadwood and replacing them with young blood in order to rejuvenate the party.

He said Umno should get as many youths with nationalist spirit to join the party.

He also took a swipe at detractors who claimed that he was trying to remain in power by proxy through his son Mukhriz, who is vying the vice-president post.

“If I want to help my son, I would have done that when I was the Prime Minister.

“But I did not do that,” said Dr Mahathir.

Mukhriz, meanwhile, said that if his father had any intention of creating a dynasty, he would have allowed him to be active in politics while he was in power.

“But my father only allowed his kin to be active in politics after his retirement,” he said.