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Umno: We're reversing no-contest culture sowed when Dr M led party
Published:  Jun 17, 2018 6:36 PM
Updated: Jun 18, 2018 3:18 AM
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Umno said the open contest for all positions in the upcoming election was a departure from a culture of discouraging challenges which began when Dr Mahathir Mohamad led the party.  

"It reflects that democracy is thriving since the era of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Najib Abdul Razak leading the party as the president.

"This was in contrast to closing the door to contests during the era of Mahathir Mohamad as president where it was encouraged that the top two positions are not contested," the Umno strategic communications unit said in a statement today.

"It was similar to the way Lim Kit Siang leads DAP, which was condemned and hated by its members and leaders at the time," it added.

The top two Umno position had not seen a contest since the 1987 party election where Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah challenged Mahathir for the party presidency.

It led to a split in the party with Tengku Razaleigh forming splinter party Semangat 46 to challenge Umno. The effort faltered and he eventually rejoined Umno.

Mahathir, too, led an Umno splinter party, forming Bersatu in 2016 and helping to lead the then Pakatan Harapan opposition.

Mahathir led Harapan to victory in the May 9 general election, ending Umno and BN/Alliance's 61 years in power since independence.

The Umno strategic communications unit said outsiders should not interfere in the party's June 30 election.

"Umno has detected provocative moves to drive a wedge among leaders who have offered themselves to contest various positions.

"This is an Umno internal matter and former leaders who are now in PKR and Bersatu do not need to interfere," it said.

It said Harapan has its own problems to deal with and should focus on those issues.

The Umno strategic communications unit also sarcastically said that Mahathir's administration was a "sacred" one that was beyond reproach, therefore it too does not interfere in Harapan's affairs.

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