YOURSAY 'This could be his last hurrah - to wait for the next round might be too late given his age, and Najib will further strengthen his position.'

Wasn't Mukhriz an alternative candidate, retorts Hisham

your say, YoursayFerdtan: It is back to the drawing board for Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his faction after the defeat of his son, Mukhriz, in the party vice-president race. Typical of his character, he did not mince his words with his attacks on PM Najib Razak in the interview with Reuters.

Obviously Mahathir is in no compromising mood, there are no reconciliation statements, only barbs against Umno and Najib. Mahathir has to rebuild his image to regain the lost support from Umno, he has to come out with more ultra and extremist statements. The usual bogeyman, the Chinese, will be his main target.

He will start his ‘campaign' using the vehicle of the religious and racial bigoted Perkasa to defend Malay race and religion. The question is will Najib, like former PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, tolerate his constant attacks?

Newly re-elected vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein has uncharacteristically responded to defend his boss against Mahathir. This is an encouraging sign, unlike the past when no Umno leader, albeit Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz, dared to rebut Mahathir.

The taboo of hitting back at the ex-PM has been broken. This shows the power and influence of Mahathir is waning. Mahathir is now a paper tiger - in appearance he may look powerful but in reality he is nothing to be afraid of.

PS: The battle royale has just begun. The first salvo was fired and an equally strong reply was discharged. It's interesting to see exciting development in the days ahead. Put on your safety belts, folks.

Botak Chin: Mahathir is doing to Najib what he did to Pak Lah. Now he criticises the giving of BRIM1 and BRIM2, but during the elections I recall him saying that the cash handouts would help gain votes for BN. What a conniving man.

Watch out for more venom spewing from his foul mouth. Hats off to Hishammuddin for finally having the guts to speak up against the old man. Both Mukhriz and Hishammuddin are devils, but Hisham is the lesser devil.

Faz: The Pandora's Box is now officially opened. Let us wait to see what more are coming out of it. It will be interesting to note whether Mahathir really have the little black book on all his 'lieutenants' when he was the boss, years ago.

Keep our fingers crossed. This may be the beginning of the end for Umno Baru.

Azlan Ahmad: Mahathir was disappointed because his son lost in the Umno elections. This is his last hurrah - to wait for the next round might be too late given his age, and for sure Najib will further strengthen his position by weeding out the Mahathir loyalists.

In fact, this is the beginning of the end of Mahathirism. But the end is not over until Mahathir is himself asked to explain his role in many major national scandals.

As reform drive ebbs, Dr M slams PM's 'bad performance'

Tehachapi: Never listen or trust any comments coming from this cynical, sarcastic, and know-it-all crook in disguise as a former prime minister. It is to Najib's credit that he woke up to this reality.

Mahathir is not only unrepentant of the irreparable damages he has wrought to the democratic institutions of Malaysia, but sought to seriously weaken the constitutional framework put in place by the founding fathers of this country to ensure lasting racial harmony, equality, tolerance and mutual respect.

After 22 years of endless political machinations, racial polarisation, and religious persecution, the spirit of racial unity and the public trust in the impartiality of government is dead.

The Umno government is now perceived as the political tool for the inner circle of elected political masters. The seed of serious public disaffection has been planted. Najib and his cabinet must take notice that it does not take much to ruin and destroy a country from within.

It is time for Malaysians who care passionately about the future of this motherland to realise that the root cause of our sufferings lies in the misguided, racially biased, dubious and potentially self-destructive policies, initially conceived and implemented by this strong-willed and self-centred chameleon who seems motivated more strongly by his narrow self-interest than the well-being of the nation.

Unless we come to terms to this harsh reality and reverse course immediately, Malaysia will soon self-destruct and be made a laughing stock of the world community.

Onyourtoes: Both Najib and Mahathir talked about the need for reform and to rein in fiscal deficit and other malfeasance, but do they really understand what they are talking about?

More aptly, one is talking about reinforcing his own power regardless of fiscal health and economic performance. The other is itching to exert his influence and to install his son to carry on with his moronic economic policies.

Mushiro: Mahathir is a most insincere man. He should have made all these negative statements about Najib months before the Umno polls that someone from Umno would have been encouraged to stand against Najib for party president.

But Mahathir did not because he strategised to get Najib's help for Mukhriz to win in the Umno VP contest. Now that Mukhriz has lost, Mahathir immediately started bad mouthing Najib. This is a trait of a man with self-interest.

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