Malaysia's former premier Mahathir Mohamad warned Wednesday that the opposition led by his former deputy could seize power from Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's already weakened government.
Mahathir's comments come as Abdullah's government reels from a major drubbing in March 8 polls where his ruling Barisan Nasional coalition lost its two-thirds majority in parliament and control of five states, leading to calls for his ouster.
Former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim has said at least 30 lawmakers were willing to defect from the ruling coalition to his opposition alliance, which would give it a majority allowing it to form the government.
"I feel very strongly about it, it can really happen. I first wanted to dismiss this possibility but on studying the situation I feel that there is great danger," Mahathir told reporters after delivering a speech at his Perdana Leadership Foundation in Putrajaya, south of the capital Kuala Lumpur.
"I think it is a possibility that you can't dismiss lightly. Now these politicians are interested in how much they get, they are not interested really in serving the nation," he added.
Mahathir said many lawmakers who "did not get what they wanted" following the ruling coalition's poor election performance could jump ship if they were offered positions by his once heir-apparent Anwar, who was sacked and jailed a decade ago for corruption and sodomy, although the sex charge was later overturned.
"There is already talk among them (opposition). I don't know how serious it is but the fact that it is being actually voiced out is very disturbing," Mahathir said.
The Barisan Nasional has ruled Malaysia for more than half a century since independence from Britain but was rocked by the unprecedented electoral setback in March.
Mahathir has since lashed out at the BN and Abdullah, repeatedly calling for him to quit as the country's leader and bear responsibility for the stunning poll losses.
Abdullah, however, says he still has the mandate to rule and says he will only discuss a plan to hand over power to his deputy after party polls in December.
Agence France-Presse - 5/7/2008 8:42 AM GMT
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