He said that based on feedback he had received from the people during his recent nationwide tour, many Malays are not interested in joining and supporting UMNO because they believe UMNO leaders are corrupt and untrustworthy.
He said: “I met, among others, professors, university lecturers, government officers, soldiers and policemen, who explained their perception of UMNO and why they have lost interest in supporting the party.
“They told me that UMNO is being led by untrustworthy people who are involved in corruption and used money to become leaders.'
He said such perceptions that UMNO leaders only cared for their own interest could ruin the party and country if UMNO members did not take them seriously.
He said: “There is no point in saying that corruption occurs in other parties, just to cover up the wrongdoings in our party.'
Mahathir has given the diagnosis that UMNO had “absorbed a dirty culture...a culture of corruption” but he failed to provide the proper prescription for a cure.
His proposals to bar the “extremely rich” UMNO members from contesting top party posts as well as ban branch and division chiefs from being given government contracts are quite laughable and are no solutions at all.
The first thing Mahathir must do is to send out the clear and unmistakable message that UMNO is declaring all-out war against corruption by asking Tan Sri Khalil Yaakob to step down as Information Minister and UMNO Secretary-General until cleared by the Anti-Corruption Agency of charges of abuse of power and corrupt practice when he was Pahang Mentri Besar levelled against him by UMNO Beserah state assemblyman Datuk Fauzi Abdul Rahman
He should next demonstrate his seriousness and commitment to root
out corruption in politics and develop a new political culture with zero
tolerance for corruption by doing two things:
If Mahathir is prepared to declare an all-out war against corruption,
without fear or favour, the DAP and the Barisan Alternative are prepared
to give him full support.
(23/4/2001)