Sunday April 6, 2008
Criticism should make Umno stronger: Dr M
By SIRA HABIBU
LANGKAWI: Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said his criticisms against the Umno leadership would make the party stronger.
“My criticisms will not wreck the party. It will make Umno stronger.
“If I tell lies, Umno will reject me. If they (supporters of the current Umno leadership) tell the truth, people will accept them,” he said.
Dr Mahathir said this in response to allegations made by several Umno leaders that he was providing “ammunition” for the Opposition to destroy the party.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had said that Dr Mahathir was wrecking Umno from the inside.
Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek had called on Dr Mahathir to exercise caution when making statements, as Umno had collapsed in 1988 under his leadership and the members did not want to see a repeat of such a tragedy.
On Sports Minister Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s statement that the Cabinet resigned en masse during Dr Mahathir’s era, the former premier said people have access to information on past history.
“The media is being controlled now. When Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah challenged me, he was in the news. I did not stop the media from highlighting what my detractors had to say.
“But now there is tight control on the media. There is no avenue for people to have their say,” he said.
Dr Mahathir was talking to newsmen on Saturday night after holding tahlil prayers at Surau Ibrahimi here for his sister Habsah who passed away in December 2006 and for Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir’s mother-in-law who passed away recently.
Earlier in his short speech before the Isyak prayers, he said Malaysians are lucky that political differences in the country did not lead to violence unlike in other Islamic countries.
News Poll
- Man posted doctored photos of Nik Aziz
- Heartbreaking wait for mum
- Sodomy II: Karpal claims judge lied (Updated)
- The world just got bigger
- Opposition leaders decry court’s ruling
- Thumbs-up for Najib
- Weather warning for Perak, Selangor and Sabah
- 5-0 for BN’s Zambry
- Saiful files report over death threat
- WWF: Orang asli being used
- 60 lose RM25mil in gold investment scam
- Canberra to set new skills list
- Sodomy II: Karpal claims judge lied (Updated)
- MAS offers CNY bargains
- ‘Flashing candy’ a health hazard: Health Ministry
- Fleet card cloning ring busted with arrest of trio
- WWF: Orang asli being used
- Vietnamese plumber fined RM10,000 over RM75 bribe
- Toyota puts the brakes on problem
- Manila joins hunt for Semporna gunmen
RSS
