Yes, vote-buying existed in my time, says Dr M

The Malaysian Insider

By Leslie Lau
Consultant Editor

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 25 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad continued his campaign today against money politics in Umno by questioning the determination of current party leaders in ridding themselves of the culture of vote-buying.

He admitted that vote-buying also existed in his time as party president, but it was never as openly practised as it is now.

"Incidents of bribery are now widespread and open until the public looks upon Umno politics with disgust. That did not happen before.

"It never came to a point where the party president is accused of money politics. It never happened to such an extent that the disciplinary board receives up to 900 complaints," he wrote in his chedet.com blog today.

Dr Mahathir has grown increasingly vocal over the issue of money politics, or vote-buying, in the current Umno election campaign.

He has openly accused party leaders of using money to secure nominations for top posts, and has threatened to name those he claims are guilty of bribing their way to high office.

The former prime minister has also warned Umno that it stands to lose heavily in the next general election if the practice of vote-buying continues.

He said today that the fact that money politics existed during his time cannot be used to excuse or legitimise the openly corrupt practises under the current party leadership.

"I admit that when I was Umno president and prime minister, there was already money politics," he said in acknowledging accusations that it was under his watch that vote-buying crept in to become part of the party's culture.

"This was clear when Tun Ghafar Baba (left) and I were challenged," he said referring to his slim victory in the 1986 Umno elections in which the two men defeated by a slim margin Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah (center) and Tun Musa Hitam (right).

He said that was the reason why a new system was introduced in which each nomination for the top posts received bonus votes.

Later on, he said a minimum requirement, or quota, was introduced in which candidates had to receive a certain number of votes before they are allowed to get on the starting block.

He said it is clear that even the current quota system has not been successful in getting rid of vote-buying.

If leaders known for engaging in money politics are elected into office it will lead to Umno's defeat in the next general election.

"The public knows who they are even though it is hard to prove they are paying for votes," he said.

Can Dr Mahathir cure Umno of money politics?

Business Times Singapore

Monday, 24 November 2008 10:06

There is considerable irony is his threat. It was under his 22-year tenure that corruption flourished and took root within the party. Dr Mahathir tried with words to root it out - scolding, cajoling, imploring, begging, even crying on occasion. He would have been better served by coming down hard on offenders, using some of his formidable powers that he amassed when he was premier.

Umno has already nominated the candidates who will contest party elections for every post from the deputy president downwards. Unfortunately, there's more than four months of campaigning before the actual polls itself.

The reason for the delay is Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. Abdullah has declined nominations for the Umno presidency but he still wants to be Prime Minister until March so the party's supreme council, not without reservations, postponed the polls to that month while allowing nominations to begin in September.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is already premier-elect because no one secured enough nominations to challenge him for the presidency. But there are fights everywhere else with three candidates jostling for the deputy presidency; eight for the three vice-presidential posts; and contests for both the head of the Youth and Women's wings - unseen in Umno for a long, long time.

Some might say that this is a healthy development for a political party that claims to champion democracy. But this is Umno - where money politics has been on the rise since the late 1980s. The fear is that a successful candidate may actually have been the best that money can buy and it is a concern that is grounded in not inconsiderable evidence.

Most of the evidence is anecdotal but it is widely believed. Tengku Ahmad Rithauddeen, a former foreign minister and current head of the party's disciplinary committee, has labelled the party "sick" and in need of "strong medication".

Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad thinks that he knows the medication required. Writing in his blog last week, Dr Mahathir threatened to publicly reveal the people whom he alleges are involved in money politics.

There is considerable irony is his threat. It was under his 22-year tenure that corruption flourished and took root within the party. Dr Mahathir tried with words to root it out - scolding, cajoling, imploring, begging, even crying on occasion. He would have been better served by coming down hard on offenders, using some of his formidable powers that he amassed when he was premier.

Be that as it may, Dr Mahathir, 82, is now fed up and thinks that the time is ripe for stern action. He has proposed to do several things. He said that all reports on money politics submitted to him would be forwarded to the Umno disciplinary committee and the Anti-Corruption Agency. "If these two means are futile, I will reveal the names of those involved together with reports in my blog," he wrote.

Dr Mahathir has already endorsed both Najib and International Trade Minister and Umno vice-president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for Umno president and deputy respectively. But Muhyiddin faces a two-cornered challenge from Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Ali Rustam and Land and Regional Development Minister Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib. Both are candidates whom Dr Mahathir scornfully described as "jokers" before they received enough nominations to qualify as aspirants to the post of deputy president.

His appraisal of them didn't stop them from receiving quite decent support for a deputy presidential bid. Truth be told, there are no lack of stories about most aspirants - except Najib, who does not have to - judiciously using money to help their causes.

There is only one thing wrong with the former premier's threat. He is an interested party as his youngest son Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir is among three candidates eyeing the Umno Youth chief's post. So he will have to be seen as impartial and come out with everything he knows or risk a backlash with those he named pointing fingers elsewhere.

That could be a disaster for a party that's trying to regroup and re-invent itself for the future. But that's just the talk. There has been no corresponding walk and Umno has shown no desire to change. Who knows? Dr Mahathir's "surgery" may be just what the doctor ordered.

Dr M: Pak Lah to blame for corruption and cronyism in Umno

By Shannon Teoh

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 14 - Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed today blamed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi for the corruption which he says is rife in Umno.

He said the new Umno leadership would have to work hard to repair what he described as the damages inflicted on the country by Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's administration.

Dr Mahathir, who has been increasingly vocal in recent weeks, repeated his contention that Barisan Nasional's (BN) current weak position is largely the fault of Abdullah.

Writing in his popular chedet.com blog today, he defended his own administration and leadership, pointing out that even when Umno was extremely unpopular in 1999, BN managed to retain its two-thirds majority in Parliament.

"Umno leaders must now meet as many Umno members and voters as possible to hear their

complaints," he said, naming the economic downturn, inflation, lack of employment and contracts for small contractors as matters that Datuk Seri Najib Razak, as Abdullah's successor, must pay attention to.

He said that cronyism and corruption became rife under Abdullah.

"This was so because even Abdullah was seen to abuse his position and power to help his son and son-in-law's businesses," he stated, referring to such companies as Scomi, in which his son Kamaluddin Abdullah is involved in and ECM Libra, which his son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin is linked to.

"Everyone knows about the RM200 given to delegates to the Kubang Pasu division so that they did not vote me to be a delegate at the 2006 Umno General Assembly," Mahathir said.

He added also that a Petaling Jaya Selatan leader as well as a veteran leader had reported that Abdullah had given RM 200 and other gifts to branch members and treated them to a stay in a luxury hotel in exchange for support of his 2010 transition plan.

"It is clear that corruption has become part of Umno culture at all levels. This will cause Umno to lose the confidence of the people.

"If Umno under Najib wants the support of voters, it must stamp out corruption. If not, voters will vote whoever pays them off and this includes the opposition," he warned.

Mahathir, who was Prime Minister for 22 years, rebutted any assertion that Abdullah had inherited a damaged Barisan Nasional.

"If so, then why did BN gain two-thirds majority since 1974? BN has never failed to rule Kedah, Perak and Selangor and since Gerakan joined BN, it has never lost Penang," he reasoned.

He further stated that Abdullah had succeeded him in Oct 2003 and in five months, won big at the 11th General Elections with 90 per cent of MPs from the ruling coalition and took back Terengganu as well as nearly regaining Kelantan from Pas.

"This shows that the BN he inherited was very healthy," Mahathir concluded and added that the Permatang Pauh by-election was further proof as "members were afraid to wear the badge and shirts of Umno or BN."