Monday, February 29, 2016

No need for new party, Dr Mahathir tells opposition reps

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has rejected a proposal to set up a new party following his decision to leave Umno today, saying that the country already has too many political parties. According to former Umno leader Tamrin Ghafar, who met Dr Mahathir earlier today before he announced his decision to quit the ruling party, the former prime minister felt that a new party would not help their struggle in any way. "No need, there are already too many parties. "The break-up of Umno resulted in PAS, Tengku Razaleigh left Umno and formed Semangat 46, Anwar set up PKR, and Amanah is a splinter of PAS," Dr Mahathir told Tamrin, four Amanah MPs and one PKR lawmaker who met him in Putrajaya today. They are Datuk Dr Mujahid Rawa (Parit Buntar MP), Dr Hatta Ramli (Kuala Krai), Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud (Kota Raja), Mohamed Hanipa Maidin (Sepang) and PKR MP for Batu Chua Tian Chang. In the meeting, Dr Mahathir told them that he had gotten together 40 influential leaders of the country and would prepare a public memorandum to be presented to the Conference of Rulers. He said his decision was because Umno was no longer what it used to be and its focus now is to keep Datuk Seri Najib Razak in power. This is the second time the former prime minister has quit Umno, the first time in May 2008, over unhappiness with Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi the then prime minister who had led Barisan Nasional to dismal results in the general election that year. Dr Mahathir was also sacked from the party in 1969. Following his sacking, he used the PAS stage to offer his views. Recently, Dr Mahathir met two senior PAS leaders at his home in Country Heights, Selangor. The meeting was held at the request of Dr Mahathir, who had wished to meet PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man. Also at the meeting was PAS elections director Datuk Mustafa Ali. – February 29, 2016.]]>

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