KUALA LUMPUR: “I will never return to Umno.”
That was the statement made today by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who appears to have completely severed his ties with his former party, declaring that he would not rejoin Umno "even if Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is ousted".
This marked a contrast from back in February 2016, when the former prime minister had said that at heart, he was still an Umno man.
In a video posted on the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) Facebook page today, Dr Mahathir claimed that Umno is now "rotten" and that the party has strayed from its purpose.
“The party now places more importance on itself, on money and such. It is no longer the champion of religion, race and country.
“Due to all of this, the party is no longer the Umno of old. It has been shaped by Najib and it now has completely different aims from before.
“Because of this, I will never return to Umno," said Dr Mahathir, who is also PPBM chairman.
Dr Mahathir had quit Umno on Feb 29 last year, saying that he was “too embarrassed” to be associated with a party that was seen to be supporting corruption.
It marked the second time Dr Mahathir had left Umno. He had first quit the party in May 2008 after criticising his successor Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's style of administration.
He was recently made Pakatan Harapan chairman, working alongside his former enemy, jailed Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is the pact's de facto leader.
Anwar was deputy prime minister and heir apparent to Dr Mahathir in the 1990s, until he was unceremoniously kicked out of the government and Umno following allegations of corruption and sexual misconduct.