Mahathir Says He's Not Making Comeback - Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, April 6 (Bernama) -- Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said Sunday that he had no intention of making a comeback as Umno president or prime minister.

"As an Umno member and an ordinary citizen, I have the right to express my views," he told reporters after giving a talk at a function entitled "Fikir-Fikir Bersama Mahathir" (Let's Think with Mahathir) hosted by Pusat Bandar Taman Cempaka branch of the Pandan Umno division here.

Asked how long he would continue to criticise Umno and the government, he said he would only give his opinions when invited to speak and would not wage a campaign on his own.

On whether he and Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah should speak in a congenial manner on Umno issues, he said:

"I will stop, I will stop. Honestly, I will stop if they will stop doing what is wrong which has caused Umno to lose in the (recent general) election." Dr Mahathir said during his premiership, he had never stopped anybody from voicing his opinions.

He said even when he was challenged by Tengku Razaleigh for the post of Umno president in 1987, he had given the freedom to the latter as well as Tun Musa Hitam who had contested against his deputy then, Tun Ghafar Baba, to express themselves.

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