(AFP) Malaysia's ruling party was told today to clean up its act and stamp out corruption - or risk losing its 44-year grip on power.

Deputy Premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, in an outspoken speech, admitted that some voters view the 2.9 million member United Malays National Organisation (Umno) "with contempt and disgust."

Abdullah, opening the annual meeting of the youth and women's wings, railed against "money politics" - an issue expected to dominate this year's assembly of the once all-powerful party.

"Money politics has deviated the party from the path of its original raison d'etre," said Abdullah, who is currently the preferred successor to veteran Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

"Infighting has diverted Umno from its true cause. If this situation is not addressed, Umno will become a party that is weak and impotent.

"The perception that Umno is a corrupted institution must be changed. Umno needs to take firm steps to restore its credibility and image so that some people no longer view it with contempt or disgust."

Umno lost 22 parliamentary seats in the November 1999 elections as many ethnic Malays forsook it - partly due to anger over the sacking and jailing of Abdullah's predecessor Anwar Ibrahim and partly due to anger over corruption.

PAS major beneficiary

The major beneficiary was the opposition Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), which is perceived as relatively uncorrupt.

Abdullah said Malay voting patterns "should serve as a warning alarm to jolt us from the slumber of having been serenaded by the sweet lullabies of prolonged years of victory."

But divisional-level elections in March showed the lessons had not been learnt.

Umno's disciplinary board last Saturday stripped six senior officials of key posts for bribing their way up and reprimanded nine others. Last month it suspended six other members.

Abdullah acknowledged the belief that winning divisional elections guaranteed personal prosperity. "It is time now for us to separate politics from business."

The deputy premier said Umno must sell itself to a new, better-educated and more critical generation.

He acknowledged shortcomings in a 30-year affirmative action programme for ethnic Malays and other indigenous races known collectively as bumiputeras.

New generation

The new generation, he said, demanded "an approach, which is more transparent and free of what they define as abuses in the implementation of affirmative action policies to help the bumiputera."

Some critics say the programme, aimed at narrowing the wealth gap with the minority Chinese who dominate business, tends to enrich "cronies" rather than the Malay majority.

Abdullah said issues such as justice, human rights, freedom of speech, good governance, transparency, corporate governance and strong judicial institutions would assume more importance.

The deputy premier, who is also home (interior) minister, last month authorised the detention without trial of six supporters of the jailed Anwar.

The government says they planned violent street protests to topple Mahathir's administration. Opponents say the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA) is being abused to stifle peaceful political dissent.

"Democracy does not mean allowing rabble-rousing which can lead to violence and instability...violent street demonstrations are something that cannot be condoned," Abdullah said.

At a later press conference he said the ISA "is important for us under our circumstances" and would not be repealed.