Toe the line, Abdullah tells Dr M
Published: Sep 11, 2006 3:45 AM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 10:21 AM
The role of an Umno member is to support and ensure the success of the party's struggles and programmes, said Prime Minister and Umno president Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
The role of an Umno member is to support and ensure the success of the party's struggles and programmes, said Prime Minister and Umno president Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
The premier made this remark when asked what role former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad should play following his unsuccessful bid to be elected as a delegate at Saturday's Kubang Pasu Umno division meet.
"This (supporting Umno) is what is expected of Umno members, be they still serving or have retired (no longer holding any post) like members of the former Elected Representatives Council of Malaysia (Mubarak).
"I met them recently and all of them expressed their willingness to continue serving in whatever capacity without any post," Abdullah was quoted as saying by Bernama yesterday.
The premier said Mahathir had also been asked to head certain working groups including in the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) apart from being the adviser of Petronas and Proton.
Abdullah also said his predecessor would be invited to attend the Umno general assembly in November despite his defeat in Kubang Pasu.
"We invite all our party members and Tun (Mahathir) was never left out," added the premier, who is currently attending the Sixth Asia-Europe Meeting (Asem6) in Helsinki.
Mahathir, who was former Umno president and headed the Kubang Pasu Umno division for 30 years, secured 227 votes and came in ninth of the 15 candidates who contested for the seven elected delegates.
End of an era
In a related development, Johor Baru MP Shahrir Samad said Mahathir's defeat has brought the curtain down on a political era.
According to a report in the Star, he said the loss reflected the dwindling support for the former premier.
"Although he became prime minister in 1981, Mahathir's era started in 1987 when he defeated Musa Hitam and Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah for the top post.
"That signalled his prominence and the end of Tun Abdul Razak's political legacy and philosophy," he added.
Other Umno leaders also called on Mahathir - the 81-year-old former premier who helmed the nation and party for 22 years - to accept the decision and move on.
Over the past months, Mahathir has been on the warpath against his handpicked successor over certain decisions, namely the cancellation of the half bridge project.
He has also accused the Umno leadership of attempting to muzzle him but this has been denied.
The premier made this remark when asked what role former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad should play following his unsuccessful bid to be elected as a delegate at Saturday's Kubang Pasu Umno division meet. "This (supporting Umno) is what is expected of Umno members, be they still serving or have retired (no longer holding any post) like members of the former Elected Representatives Council of Malaysia (Mubarak).
"I met them recently and all of them expressed their willingness to continue serving in whatever capacity without any post," Abdullah was quoted as saying by Bernama yesterday.
The premier said Mahathir had also been asked to head certain working groups including in the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) apart from being the adviser of Petronas and Proton.
Abdullah also said his predecessor would be invited to attend the Umno general assembly in November despite his defeat in Kubang Pasu.
"We invite all our party members and Tun (Mahathir) was never left out," added the premier, who is currently attending the Sixth Asia-Europe Meeting (Asem6) in Helsinki.
Mahathir, who was former Umno president and headed the Kubang Pasu Umno division for 30 years, secured 227 votes and came in ninth of the 15 candidates who contested for the seven elected delegates.
End of an era
In a related development, Johor Baru MP Shahrir Samad said Mahathir's defeat has brought the curtain down on a political era. According to a report in the Star, he said the loss reflected the dwindling support for the former premier.
"Although he became prime minister in 1981, Mahathir's era started in 1987 when he defeated Musa Hitam and Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah for the top post.
"That signalled his prominence and the end of Tun Abdul Razak's political legacy and philosophy," he added.
Other Umno leaders also called on Mahathir - the 81-year-old former premier who helmed the nation and party for 22 years - to accept the decision and move on.
Over the past months, Mahathir has been on the warpath against his handpicked successor over certain decisions, namely the cancellation of the half bridge project.
He has also accused the Umno leadership of attempting to muzzle him but this has been denied.
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