MAHATHIR - PAK LAH'S WAR ESCALATES - malaysiakini

By Leslie Lau

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 – Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has hit back at Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi over his right to comment on Umno affairs, escalating what is turning into open warfare between the two men.

Writing in his chedet.com blog today, the former PM said: “It is clear that, whether I am an Umno member or not, I am not allowed to or I am blocked from giving any opinions about Umno or about any other matter.”

Dr Mahathir’s response comes just days after Abdullah told him off for speaking out on internal Umno issues.

The former prime minister had recently urged Umno members to vote out “Abdullah’s toadies” in the upcoming party elections.

This, he argued, was to ensure Datuk Seri Najib Razak, the front-runner to take over the Umno presidency, would have a different administration from that of Abdullah.

Dr Mahathir has become increasingly vocal about Umno affairs ever since it became clear that Abdullah, his hand-picked successor-turned-nemesis, would not seek re-election for the Umno presidency.

An increasingly outspoken Dr Mahathir has also given rise to criticism that the country would return to “Mahathirism,” and that he would be the power behind the throne of a Najib administration.

Today, Dr Mahathir repeated accusations that he had in recent years been blocked from meeting party members and from speaking at party functions even before he quit the party this year.

“As usual ‘Pak Lah’s people’ support the Prime Minister’s attacks on me.

“Only Datuk Seri Rais Yatim has shown courage in defying the Prime Minister to say I have a right to give my opinions.”

Rais, a member of Abdullah’s Cabinet, has said it is within Dr Mahathir’s rights to say anything about Umno, and that no one should try to stop him from speaking out.

Dr Mahathir said that he would not stop anyone from criticising him if they did not agree with his views.

“My blog is open. It is up to Pak Lah and his henchmen whether to be abusive towards my blog.” -- MI