Mukhriz defies dad's call to quit, will fight PM within Umno - NST

By June Ibrahim

KUALA LUMPUR, Tues:

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 which are the post of prime minister, Umno president and Barisan Nasional chairman immediately,” he told a packed press conference at a hotel here today. “This is the decision that I have made for now. I will not hesitate to change this decision if things do not change for the better in due time,” he said.

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 said, reading from a press statement in Bahasa Malaysia.

He claimed several other members have given Abdullah an ultimatum, that is to quit all three positions before the branch elections start in July.

On whether his father Dr Mahathir welcomed his decision to stay on in the party, Mukhriz replied: “My father is unaware of my decision. I have yet to speak with him and tell him about this.

[More at http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Tuesday/Frontpage/20080520211413/Article/index_html]