KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional leaders and the backbenchers today hit out at Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad for wearing a Bersih 5 t-shirt and for calling on the public to participate in the illegal gathering on Saturday.
Special Affairs Department (Jasa) director-general Datuk Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi said the former prime minister appeared desperate to ensure the success of the Bersih 5 rally.
"The failure of Bersih 4 haunts Dr Mahathir. He is now worried that the momentum of hatred among the people against the government has diminished," he said in a statement today.
Puad, who is also Umno supreme council member, said Dr Mahathir wanted to exploit the emotions of irrational people to help portray that the present government is unpopular.
"For him, the irrational people are the best weapon to topple the government.
"It's not about championing for a transparent and clean election system but an effort to turn his son into the prime minister through the back door," he claimed.
Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Datuk M. Saravanan said it was unethical for Dr Mahathir to wear the Bersih shirt in order to support the Bersih 5.0 movement.
"This country has given a lot to him before but today, he is trying to destroy it.
"Enough is enough, Tun," said the Tapah member of parliament when met at the parliament lobby.
Rompin MP Datuk Hasan Arifin said the latest antics showed that Dr Mahathir has lost his sound judgment.
"All of his actions today were just for his own political satisfaction. It is clearly not a good example for the younger generation," he said.
The Public Accounts Committee chairman also emphasised that there was no need for the Yellow and Red Shirt rallies to be held
"If they have no confidence in today's government, please do so by casting their votes during the general election," he said.
BN strategic communications director Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan said Dr Mahathir's act of endorsing the Bersih 5 rally was hypocritical, as the latter, too, had opposed street rallies in the past during his tenure as prime minister.
"It is sad to see Dr Mahathir degrading himself to this level.
"I am afraid history will judge him for being a hypocrite and an unprincipled person. Bersih is no longer credible when it allows the opposition to hijack its objectives," said the Umno supreme council member and Kota Belud MP.