The last resort of a former leader , Dr Mahathir Blackmailing Umno ?

The decision by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to quit Umno is deemed as blackmailing the party, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz said.

"Nobody, no matter how big he is, has the right to use dirty tactics to bring down a person who is democratically elected,"

"It's not something that we condone and it's undemocratic; that's blackmailing the party," he said.

Karpal Singh, the Bukit Gelugor member of parliament said Dr Mahathir was "unabashedly" showing his true colours.

"He has brought upon himself the ominous act of resigning from Umno with a view, obviously, to destabilize the government of Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

"Dr Mahathir has shown that he is incapable of becoming a statesman. He has been and remains a gutter politician."

"One who panics exhibits signs of weakness."

Press statement from PKR advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim :

Tun Dr Mahathir's decision to leave Umno today is indicative of Umno's worsening crisis, where leaders continue to bicker and fight, while the welfare of ordinary Malaysians are increasingly neglected.

The internal problems of Umno are clearly deteriorating beyond any hope of recovery. Nonetheless, we must avoid being trapped by personal agendas to replace weak leaders with corrupt ones.

In view of the worsening crisis, any and all Malaysians of conscience who are concerned for the continued stability, prosperity or unity of the country are invited to join KeADILan and Pakatan Rakyat and pursue our shared ideals for a better, united Malaysia.

Fake farewell for Malaysia's Mahathir
By Anil Netto - Asia Times

Former premier Mahathir Mohamad's decision to quit the ruling United Malays Nasional Organization (UMNO) on Monday represents his strongest political protest yet against his hand-picked successor Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi - and perhaps his biggest gamble.

His high-stakes decision came after a royal commission of inquiry last week recommended that the former prime minister and a number of his associates face probes under various laws for suspected involvement in the fixing of appointments, promotions and removal of judges, including the sacking of six top judges in 1988, which critics claim permanently undermined the judiciary's independence.

Read here.