A senior Umno leader said today that the culture of toppling fellow Umno leaders to pursue o­ne's political agenda must be stopped immediately to strengthen the party.

Perlis Menteri Besar Shahidan Kassim said internal conflicts and threatening party leaders, as done by some Umno members, should be curbed because it could weaken the party.

According to him, Perlis Umno is carrying out campaigns among party members to eradicate the culture.

Internal squabbling

Bernama quoted Shahidan as saying that Umno's efforts to woo political fence sitters and opposition members to join the party would be hampered by internal squabbling.

"Who will respect us if there is a crisis within the party," he said.

The menteri besar aded that he does not like to topple leaders and similarly he does not like to be ousted by others.

Shahidan, an Umno supreme council member, has been quite a controversial figure of late with his pronouncements of imposing a curfew for youths in the state and 'encouraging' men to take second wives in neighbouring Tahiland.