FORMER UMNO PRESIDENT DR MAHATHIR QUITS UMNO

The resignation of former Umno president Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad caught everyone by surprise.

To this point and in spite of the shock resignation, the most serious political questions most Malaysian wants answered remain unanswered now but it needs to be answered are whether the resignation of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad would compel many Umno members, especially MPs to quit Umno and a snap election to be called? Does the quitting have serious political effects on UMNO, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Barisan Nasional?

It is truly unbelievable that former Umno president Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today announced that he was temporarily resign from Umno as a sign of no confidence in his successor's leadership with immediate effect and urged other members to follow him.

He indicated that he would only rejoin the party when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi steps down as Umno president.

"I will only come back to the party when there is a change in leadership," the ex-premier told a 1,200-strong crowd at a forum in his home state of Kedah this morning.

He also called on all Umno ministers, deputy ministers and all levels of party leaders to join him in leaving the party.

However, he asked these members not to join other political parties.

One notable Umno leader who has apparently took on Dr Mahathir's call to resign is Sanusi, who said he would release an official statement later.

Abudullah, in an immediate reaction, expressed shock at Tun Dr Mahathir's resignation, saying, "I didn't expect him to leave but I will continue to fight for the party."