Monday 19 May 2008

Dr Mahathir quits Umno

Dr M's statement: Pengumuman Keluar Dari Umno here

Update: 5.30pm

Veteran Umno leader Tan Sri Sanusi has quit the party. (The star reports, here)

Earlier story:

ALOR STAR, Mon: After goading Umno members today to temporarily resign from Umno as a sign of protest against the party president, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad took up a “dare” to take the lead by resigning from the party he had been a
founding member of since 1946.

However, he implored Umno members taking up his challenge not to join any other party and remain independent, at least until the Umno leadership was determined (after the December party elections).

He said he will only rejoin the party when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi steps down as Umno president.

Dr Mahathir was answering questions from the floor after giving a talk at a forum entitled 'Malays’ Future after the 12th General Election' at the Star City Hotel in Alor Star when a member of the audience asked him if he would take the lead in quitting Umno.

Wah, saya di cabar ni…(I have been dared),” he quipped but in a serious tone, he said:

“Yes, I will leave Umno….until the party leadership is determined. Other Umno members should follow me.”

Loud cheers immediately met his declaration. It is not immediately clear if his son, Datuk Mukhriz, also the MP for Jerlun and an Umno Youth Exco member, would follow suit.

The former Prime Minister's announcement also caught his aides by surprise. Dr Mahathir explained that this was not the first time he was out of Umno.

“Between 1969 and 1970, I was expelled from Umno but later, when many Malays and Umno members still supported me, I re-entered Umno. There was no problem. Just don’t join other parties.” --- Continue with the NST report here.

Rea also rocky's Dr M Quits here)

(According to blogger A voice Dr Mahathir made the annoucement at 12:35 today. Sources quoted said that Dr Mahathir repeated his speech at the Johor MyKMU event in Johor Baru, which was spinned by Malaysia Insider as playing the racial card. Dr Mahathir reiterated his call for Pak Lah to quit with a strong message, "Pak Lah harus di singkirkan segera!". According to the blogger, "a Dr Mahathir outside of UMNO could be more vocal and deadly." The question now is: will the disillusioned grassroots unhappy with the party leadership follow suit? What will be the implications of Dr M's resignation on the party as a whole? Will his move hasten Abdullah's departure?)

9 comments:

mn said...

A.kum Kak Maria

1. Dengar kata Ku Li dan Sanusi Junid pun dah keluar juga.

2. Semua pakat keluar sekarang ni. Orang masuk depa masuk...orang keluar depa pun nak keluar. Ape le dia orang ni?

3. Silap hb, Anwar Ibrahim masuk balik UMNO

http://www.penyokong-kj.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Maybe PM will arrest him under ISA if he talks too much......

Anonymous said...

I am sad. Unexpected that Tun who is loyal to Umno has quit the party.

I predict more will follow.

Anonymous said...

Could this be another devious, calculative move by a devious mind?
Could mahathir do this as a pre-emptive move? Could he have got wind of AAB wanting to take him to court on the Lingam’s tapes affair? He is doing this as a distraction and to dis-stabilise the government so that he can get off scot-free

Anonymous said...

Tun at his age is never afraid of anything or anyone. You think when you're near death, you're still thinking and afraid of facing court trial or god?? It will not bother Tun one bit! It's god's trial that Tun may worry about.

Anonymous said...

Dear Kak Ton,

Could you verify this news coming out of UAE. It seems last week Pak Lah made a quick clandestine visit to Dubai for the purpose of a meeting with Anwar Ibrahim, who purportedly flew from Mumbai where he was at the time? [Dubai and Mumbai btw is 2 hrs flight away.]

Hmmm... a secret meeting of two men of dubious repute. Nothing kosher can come out of this... or can it?

J.T. said...

Tun is still the leader I remember - strong and determined. :)

maria a samad (kak ton) said...

Hi mekyam

I couldnt find the news in any of the mainstream media.

The story was posted by bigdog. Here's the link:

http://bigdogdotcom.wordpress.com/2008/05/13/pm-flip-flop-abdullah-secret-went-of-to-dubai/

Sorry I cant be much of a help.

Anonymous said...

I agree with Tun's move. Why should we stay if we have no faith in the party anymore?

Umno berjuang untuk banga melayu, tapi kini tidak berbuat demikian, lupa akan perjuangan asal.

Ahli umno berkedudukan berjuang hanya untuk kekayaan mereka.

Sebagai orang melayu, saya sedih bahawa kita tidak bersatu lagi.

Ini disebabkan mereka yang berjuang atas nama melayu hanya pentingkan diri sendiri.