Mukhriz stays on in Umno

Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir speaking to members of the press at Parliament House yesterday.

Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir is not following his father, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad out of Umno.

But the first-term MP for Jerlun said he was not backing Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as Umno president.

"My friends and I are of the opinion that the prime minister should relinquish all three positions held by him, the post of prime minister, Umno president and Barisan Nasional chairman immediately," he said during a press conference at a hotel here yesterday.

"This is the decision that I have made for now." Mukhriz reiterated that his father's decision to resign from the party was because he loved Umno.

"I also believe that there are many ways to skin a cat, hence I am announcing that I will stay on in Umno, as the parliamentarian for Jerlun and an Umno member.

"I will be loyal to the party as a member but I will be a strong voice that will criticise the deficiency of the party's leadership," he read from a press statement.

He claimed that several other members have given Abdullah an ultimatum to quit all three positions, before the branch elections start in July. On whether his father welcomed his decision to stay on in the party, Mukhriz replied: "My father is unaware of my decision. I have yet to tell him about this.

"He may be disappointed with me for not following him but nevertheless I will explain to him my reasons and hope that he will understand." (On Monday, Dr Mahathir had said: "It is up to them (members) to follow or not, but if they think they should continue supporting and giving priority to Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi over the party's struggles, it is their right.")

Mukhriz also did not brush aside suggestions that he was staying on in the party because he was vying for the Umno Youth chief position that is up for grabs in December.

"I have been getting positive feedback from the ground," he said on his aspirations for the Umno Youth position.He said although Abdullah has made it clear that he would not leave the party, despite Dr Mahathir's resignation, many Umno members would pressure him to do so by conducting roadshows and campaigns

."Many people think that he should leave immediately and this is the feedback that we get from members, even veterans."