Former Umno president Dr Mahathir Mohamad has once again claimed that the current party leadership is pulling every trick from under its sleeve to muzzle him.

While expressing puzzlement over their fear for him, the 81-year-old former premier argued that this proves he must be speaking the truth.

Yesterday, Mahathir called for a press conference at the Perdana Leadership Foundation in Putrajaya. Before fielding questions, he explained why he wanted to meet the media:

My attempt to be a delegate from my division (Kubang Pasu in Kedah) has attracted a lot of efforts from certain quarters to prevent me from being selected as a wakil (delegate). They seem to be going all out, even government officers seem to be there, (Umno secretary-general) Radzi (Sheikh Ahmad) seems to be there, and a lot of their men are there meeting all the different branches (in Kubang Pasu).

What they are saying is that people should not choose me as the delegate because it will cause my 'glorious' position as ex-president to be lowered, therefore they want to 'save' my good name. But of course, the whole intention is to show that my own division does not want me. That's the objective, and of course, that will be used later on to tell the whole of Umno that even my own division does not want (me).

So it is not because of love for me (that) they purportedly say 'don't choose him and lower his dignity'. What is lowering my dignity is the actions of the Umno leadership in preventing me from meeting the members and preventing the members from meeting me. They wanted me to use the official Umno channels, and when I do, they object. If NGOs invite me, they say I am colluding with the enemy. Apparently, all the NGOs are their enemies - I fail to understand this.

I am not going to be lowered in any way by being a delegate. After all, it is the delegates from the divisions who choose the leadership. Normally, when there is a contest for the supreme council (posts), all these supreme council members will be kissing the hands of these delegates, now they are saying that the delegate is something like a low-grade person.

All I am trying to do is to get an opportunity to attend the Umno assembly and to speak if I am allowed to do so. I know that they won't allow me (to speak) but still I want to represent my division, which I am entitled to do. But apparently they are so afraid that I will say something that may not be good for them. But there are so many of them - they can refute everything that I say, so why are they worried?

Unless, of course, they are hiding something. This is my suspicion - that whatever I say so far is true and they don't want the Umno assembly to know the truth. That can be the only explanation as to why they have become so very agitated just because I want to be a representative from my own division.

But of course, there will be a bonus for them. The leader of the division (Mohd Johari Bahrum) has been instructed and has undertaken to ensure that I will lose this contest. If I lose, of course, it will be partly because of that. Just like in Kelantan, they wanted to make sure that I do not speak, and funny things happened. I hope no funny things will happen in Kubang Pasu.

Lately, they have gone all out to stop me from speaking. Many of the programmes that have been arranged for me, which are not even political, have been stopped. Now we sense that even PLF (Perdana Leadership Foundation) - this foundation which is not political and dedicated to all the four prime ministers - has been blackballed ... Many of its meetings are going to be cancelled.

Everytime I have a meeting with the people, all kinds of other events are arranged to take away the people from my meeting. So I just want to tell you that if I lose this (the Kubang Pasu contest), it must be because of the pressure exerted on the delegates attending the division meeting on Sept 9.

I hope I don't lose, but there is a possibility because there is no more democracy in Umno. Whereas at the time when Pak Lah (Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) was in Team B, he was free to move around the country to campaign against me. I never stopped anyone. But here an attempt is made to muzzle me.

But we'll see, what will happen on Sept 9. That is what I would like to tell you, that there is no more democracy in Umno and that everything is managed in order to prevent the leaders from being exposed for what they are doing.

Question from journalist [inaudible] - on the opposition surrounding his candidacy in Kubang Pasu and alleged attempts to stop him from contesting.

Mahathir: Well, I expected some opposition but the intensity of the campaign is surprising - very intense campaign. Radzi Sheikh Ahmad is practically there all the time.

You're contesting to be a delegate but are you going to attend the Kubang Pasu division meeting?

Well, I hope I would be able to attend.

What does that mean?

(Laughs) We'll see lah what happens.

Do you think the prime minister is aware of what is happening on the ground?

I believe that the supreme council has decided that (Kubang Pasu division head) Johari will be the man who will make sure that I will not come as a delegate.

Did Johari meet up with you, being a former (member of your) staff?

Yes, he is always my former staff but all of them are my former staff. All of them were chosen by me, all of them became ministers because of me, even became prime minister because of me. But I don't expect any loyalty or any feelings of hutang budi (gratitude), that is no longer a Malay characteristic.

You mentioned about government officers?

Well, I am made to understand that instructions have been given to people attending the division meeting not to vote for me and some of them are government officers ... junior officers with influence.

What do you think of your chances (in the contest) now?

Of course at first, I thought it was an easy thing for me ... this is a minor thing for the party, just one out of some 2,000 delegates. But apparently, this is taken very seriously as if I have to be shut up completely. My mouth will be muzzled so that I cannot say anything. There must be something frightening about what I have to say that has caused them to take this very elaborate and serious action against me. And I am, of course, actually the first member of Umno ... Umno Baru was formed by me.

It is said they (the Umno leadership) are not worried about you attending the Umno assembly because of the things that you have to say since they decide who can speak. They are worried that when you walk in, you will get a standing ovation and Pak Lah may not.

It is a possibility I must say (laughs). Although I sense there is a climate of fear in Umno now. No one dares to speak except in whispers. Even the one or two who talk to me tend to lower their voice even when there is nobody around.

[Question inaudible] On attending the Umno general assembly.

Yes, I want to hear the debate. If I can contribute, I will contribute. If there is a need for clarification, I will clarify - if given the opportunity to speak. But I suspect from their demeanour now they will ensure that I will not be able to speak at all. There is a great deal of fear about what I have to say.

If you are chosen as a delegate but not allowed to speak, what will you do?

I will go there, sit there and listen to find out how many lies are going to be told.

What is your message to the delegates attending the Kubang Pasu division meet. Why should they vote for you?

They should vote for me because this is supposed to be a democratic party, where people are allowed to speak their minds, criticise the leaders and give their opinions. But apparently, it is no longer so. The new Umno - I say new Umno because before it was not like this - does not allow people to speak their minds and is prepared to go to any length to prevent people from saying anything. They also have a climate of fear because they fear what I have to say. I don't know why, I'm only speaking the truth. If it is not true, you can prove that is not true by showing the documents.

[Question inaudible] On other platforms apart from Umno to continue his fight.

Well, if I use the NGOs or other forums, of course they are going to say I am against Umno. The whole idea is to show that I am against Umno - that I am going to break up Umno. But what they forget is that the present leadership had caused Umno to split into Umno Baru and Semangat 46 (in 1987). It was I who brought the two parties together again. I got Tengku Razaleigh (Hamzah) to stop his party and join Umno. I am the one to bring Umno together.

Even after Anwar (Ibrahim), I brought the party together before I decided to step down. That's why the party did very well in the 2004 elections. And the party ... Anwar punya party apa nama ? [what's the name of Anwar's party] (a reporter says Keadilan) ... ahhh Keadilan, tidak adil langsunglah . (No justice at all).

Of course, they are trying to say that I am going to split up Umno, but they have more experience in splitting up the party. I have been putting the party back together every time somebody tries to split it. That is on record. Unless the records also must be expunged.

On the Perdana Leadership Foundation, are there funds from the government?

No, funds don't come from the government. This foundation does not ask money from the government. It is a private sector effort but we, of course, ask universities ... because this is a research institute therefore universities come here and interact with us, we have forums. But we have now indications - of course, they won't put it down in writing - that the forums we have here will not be supported by the universities, or see their participation.

What about support from the private sector?

We have good support but there is also a little bit of reluctance from the private sector... they too have been under pressure.

(Returning to Umno)

So many of my meetings have been cancelled. Programme 'Jasamu Dikenang' (by Umno Youth Selangor) that has been cancelled, the function to officiate the Padang Besar Umno division meet has been cancelled. The Padang Besar division does not allow me to go there. The MB (Menteri Besar Shahidan Kassim) has ensured that no available space will be left in Perlis, which is not a big place, to allow me to speak there.

(He also listed other functions that were cancelled - a talk with Universiti Utara Malaysia students, a talk with trainees from the Institute of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations, and a gathering organised by the Perlis Malay Chamber of Commerce in Langkawi island.)

Make sure that Dr Mahathir doesn't speak at all. If he speaks, nothing, nothing will be published. This is the new democracy, very transparent.

[Question inaudible] On Umno Youth deputy chief's (Khairy Jamaluddin) assertion that Malays are marginalised in Penang.

He can raise their status lah, he (has been in power) for two and a half years. What have they done? They are in full power now. They can grab (Penang Chief Minister Dr Koh) Tsu Koon by the scruff of his neck and throw him into the sea because they are so powerful.

But they haven't done anything other than make racist speeches in order to gain popularity with the Malays.

To another question on Khairy's remarks.

I don't know. He is entitled (to make such statements). This is a free country, all those who are in support of the government can freely voice their opinions. Those who don't, cannot say anything.

Any comment on the Budget 2007?

We'll see lah . We have seen the budget, we have heard the 9th Malaysia Plan, but I haven't seen anything on the ground ... Cigarette prices and oil prices have gone up.

On the number of nominations he received in Kubang Pasu?

I received 16. (Reporter adds 'but you only need two to be eligible to contest').

Next ruling will be that only those who get nominations from half of the total branches will be able to contest because that is one way of blocking out people.

Will you continue your campaign even if you don't get elected?

I have to continue some way or other. Of course, every effort will be made to black out anything that I say. We now have a lot of spin doctors - the new Umno information chief ( New Straits Times group editor) Brendan Pereira and [P] Gunasegaram (the Sun and Nexnews group executive editor), these are the Umno boys now, they are very loyal and they work very hard.

Tajuddin Ramli... I would like to show you what Tajudin Ramli said when he got MAS. My god, he just got bubbling away at all the possibilities. From Malaysian helicopter services to practically being the owner of MAS, he was so very delighted. Now he is saying I forced him.

Radzi Sheikh Ahmad said previously that you can speak at the Umno assembly?

Yes, he said that, but tomorrow they change their mind. Last time, they kissed my hand, now my hand stinks and the hand of someone else is fragrant.

On the issue of the mediation proposal to have veteran politician Mohamad Khalil Yaakob help bridge the differences between Mahathir and Abdullah.

... I understand he informed Khairy and also the prime minister. Of course, he had to inform Khairy as he is a very important person in the party because even menteris besar have to wait when he comes.

I can sit (at the mediation) provided it is a serious discussion and open to all - no hiding. What I have to say is not a secret, I will say it and he (Abdullah) can refute (if it is not true) just like the other day on TV, he said his children did not do business in Malaysia but we know that Scomi (owned by Abdullah's son Kamaluddin) got more than a billion dollars contract to supply this drilling mud to all the petroleum companies operating in Malaysia. All petroleum companies giving contracts in Malaysia must have the approval of Petronas.

Of course, I am not talking about the contract for railway refurbishment because Scomi has all the facilities to refurbish the railway. Scomi also has the facilities now to build bus bodies and also have got the ships to transfer coal.

In 1997, you personally stopped a shipment of Scomi's centrifuge products to Pakistan which was supposed to be for nuclear (development) on the request of the US government.

Not on the request of the US government - I don't take orders from the US government (laughs). (Reporter says: But AFP reported...) They can say what they like but the fact is that we are not going to be involved in any clandestine activities.

Five Japanese were recently arrested for allegedly exporting (centrifuges) since 1997 even though the US stopped it and it has been linked to Scomi.

Yes, they now admit that it is very specific equipment for centrifuge. And when they supply it they know it is going to be used for centrifuge. So the people who bought it cannot be buying something they don't know anything about. They must know that it was going to be used in the centrifuge.

How did you celebrate Merdeka?

Well, I put the flag up. I am a Malaysian, I put up the flag.

Were you invited to the Merdeka Day parade (in Sarawak)?

I was invited but it was too far away. I have seen the parade many times so I thought that I would miss one. I missed one in Pahang as well. Last year, they had it in Putrajaya, you know in this mega-project and it was a grand show in that mega-project.

Are there going to be attempts to actively block your children (from business and politics)?

Well, my children have got no business with the government. They are not doing well either, but that is their business. I didn't ask whether they are suffering or not. I know some contracts have been taken away, but I am not free to disclose these things.

Politically?

Politically, yes, I would be very surprised indeed if attempts are not made to make sure that none of my children are candidates and things like that ... work is being done now to prepare for the (party's delegate) elections.

Will you still go to the Umno general assembly if you are not elected?

I think they will invite me as the ex-president perhaps. I haven't decided whether I would go but I will feel claustrophobic because this is not the free Umno I am used to attending.

Any comments on the possibility of Naza DRB-Hicom taking over Proton?

Well, Proton is going quite cheap now. You know, when they sacked (former CEO) Tengku Mahaleel (Tengku Ariff), the share prices went up. Today, it is below RM5 and is losing money. It is not selling cars anymore (laughs), I mean not selling the same number of cars anymore. Many of the agents are saying that they are now selling 'old iron' ... besi buruk ... in Malay it is besi buruk ... I translated it to 'old iron'.

At a recent talk in Kuala Pilah, you mentioned that Umno leaders are afraid of you. What did you mean?

Yes, afraid of me. Why do they stop me from talking to kampung people. Those days, I spoke to thousands of kampung people nobody stopped me. When Pak Lah wanted to talk I never stopped him, when he was deputy prime minister and when he challenged me, we are not afraid. If people want to vote us, they will choose us, If they don't want to, what can we do? We are free, we talk about democracy and transparency in everything, why be so afraid then.

I only want to talk to kampung people. What can the kampung people do? It's not like they are going to overthrow the prime minister. Simple village people who want to hear the words of a former leader who is now being treated as an outcast by his own party.