Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today announced that he was quitting Umno
Former Umno president Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today announced that he was quitting Umno with immediate effect and urged other members to emulate him.
“I will only come back to the party when there is a change in leadership,” the ex-premier told a crowd at a forum in his home state of Kedah this morning.
He also called on all Umno ministers, deputy ministers and all levels of party leaders to join him in leaving the party.
However he asked these members not to join any other party.
“Wait till Abdullah to quit as the prime minister and party president and then we can return to Umno,” he said.
I got the above information from Malaysiakini and The Star. This is an unexpected development. I wonder what will be the fallout from this important announcement Tun Dr. Mahathir has made. What prompted him to make this decision? He lived for UMNO. He loved UMNO.
Update:
1. Meanwhile Shahrir Samad, the minister for domestic trade and consumer affairs, said Mahathir’s surprise move could trigger a flurry of resignations from the embattled party that could force Abdullah to hold fresh general elections.
2. Veteran party man Tan Sri Sanusi Junid announced quitting Umno.
3. Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said it was a bad time for Dr Mahathir to quit Umno
4. Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib said he was surprised at the decision, but added that it was Dr Mahathir’s right to do so.
5. Tan Sri Aziz Tapa, 85, said that he was shocked at the news and was at a loss for words.
6. Umno supreme council member Tan Sri Rahim Thamby Chik described the move as an “interesting but tragic development” for Umno.
7. Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said, “This will weaken the party at a time when it is facing its enemies.â€
8. “I welcome his decision. It is high time for him” to leave, said Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, a Cabinet minister and a member of Umno’s supreme council.
9. Umno president Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was shocked by his predecessor’s decision to quit the party but will not meet him personally to ask him to reconsider the decision.
10.Gua Musang member of Parliament Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah was shocked over Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s decision to quit party but he will nevertheless not emulate his former political adversary’s move to leave.
11.DAP secretary-general and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said Mahathir’s resignation will be a “gigantic political earthquake besetting Umno after the political tsunami of March 8″.
12.Karpal Singh: “He should remain a member until he clears his name for the alleged offences committed when he was Umno president and prime minister.â€
Bengbeng | Politics and politicians
It is really a surprise with his announcement. Most likely he is forcing hands to make drastic changes to the Umno now.
the days ahead could spring some surprises
That’s the ultimate action by a party member to show discontent of the ruling chief. Bold and drastic.. Tun Dr Mahathir is still himself.
he is no longer in power.
yeah, no more power and old already..
i saw his latest pics..his health mayb isnt too good..the poor man
Bengbeng, I missed the news yesterday. TDM made a strategic move.
let us see the situation play out n then see some more
We just experience an earthquake in Malaysia. Dr M is the source of the quake . Hidup Bangsa Malaysia!
Let there be peace n prosperity for the nation is all i ask
Beng: I really don’t understand your Malaysian politics. You all seriously have very good leaders with visions these 10 years down the road. The only problems lies in the fact that the leaders can never do any changes for any better because the government is like a pyramid.. the top want to do something good downwards, but somehow in the middle process sure got people choot stunt and don’t allow it to happen? What is so bad about changes?
i cannot begin to explain as two persons have three opinions
He still dont want to retire from the politic. and he is the one who cannot accept changing, what he want is Malaysia must always follow his view and directly.
“If you want to change? wait until he die.” - I think this is the most properbly word that he would like to say
Please do not underestimate the Tun