The support for former premier Dr Mahathir has grown stronger after he exposed the alleged corruption in the Sept 9 Kubang Pasu Umno divisional delegates contest, said his son Mukhriz.

Mukhriz, who is also an Umno Youth exco member, said an increasing number of party members now understood what went on during the election.

He said the party members could see that there were some people who apparently did not value his father's services to the extent of using bribes to defeat him.

"I also see that their efforts to frustrate my father have not only failed but also backfired on them," he was quoted as saying by Bernama .

Mukhriz was commenting on the action by five branch leaders in Kubang Pasu division who submitted an official complaint to the Umno disciplinary board last Friday alleging bribes and other wrongdoings during the delegates election.

Not involved

He also denied a statement by the divisional secretary Samsuddin Ahmad that the five branch leaders were his strong supporters.

He said he was not involved in the effort by the five to lodge their complaint although he knew them.

"I know that they lodged the complaint not to confirm what my father said but to save Umno from political corruption," he added.

The five claimed that the election was tainted by money politics, outside interference and threats.

One of them, Kampung Darat Umno branch chief Ibrahim Ariffin said he was ' quarantined ' for six days in the run-up to the polls.

The other complainants are Kampung Lembah Arang Umno member Aminuddin Omar, Kampung Biak branch member Ismail Taib, Kampung Darat branch Youth chief Nor Mohamad Darus and Kampung Kemunting branch secretary Rozi Razak.

In the contest, Mahathir, who led the Kubang Pasu division for more than three decades, came out ninth among the 15 candidates while his Mukhriz took the fifth spot.

The contest was held to elect seven delegates to represent the division at November's Umno general assembly in Kuala Lumpur.

Mahathir, who helmed the nation and Umno for 22 years up to his retirement in 2003, attributed his defeat to money politics and a preferred candidates list.

The Umno leadership has denied the money politics allegation.