PUTRAJAYA, June 18- Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today he supported the proposal for the posts of president and deputy president not to be contested at the Umno elections slated for November.
He said he feared that a contest for the posts of president and deputy president, held by Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin respectively, would split Umno and the Malays even more.
“Going by the democratic practice, we should have contests but Malaysians do not really understand the practice. If they lose, they will quit the party and set up another, causing the Malays and Umno to split further.
“In this connection, I support contests, but not for the two top posts of president and deputy president.
“I have contested before (for the post of Umno president) and I have won by only 43 votes. The loser took me to court and set up another party. The Malays have split due to the contests,” he told a news conference here.
Earlier, Dr Mahathir launched a book, “The Prisoners Diaries”, edited by Puan Sri Norma Hashim of Viva Palestina Malaysia.
The 125-page book, produced through the cooperation of the Centre for Political & Development Studies in Gaza, describes the experiences of Palestinians in Israeli prisons.
The book is being sold at RM20 a copy, and all proceeds from the sale would be used to fund citizen journalism in Gaza.
Dr Mahathir expressed disappointment over the attitude of the major powers which he said demanded justice and administration according to the rule of law but justified Israel’s imprisonment of Palestinians for exchange of hostages if Jewish soldiers were held in Palestine.
“Israel is the only country in the world which detains the people of its enemies for exchange as hostages. Five hundred Palestinian prisoners will be exchanged for one soldier detained in Palestine,” he said. Dr Mahathir also condemned Israel’s arbitrary action in doing anything at all, including launching attacks in international waters, by justifying it as “an act in the interest of security”.
“All in the name of the security of Israel, as though the security of others is not important. This is the injustice that takes place, but it is justified by the countries demanding justice,” he said.
– BERNAMA
