Sixty veteran Umno leaders, led by a former deputy premier Ghafar Baba, will submit a memorandum to party president Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on the need to effect immediate changes in Umno.

The group claimed that democratic practices in the party have 'eroded' and the situation has worsened with the practice of money politics.

Money politics, they had stressed, is a menace which must be eliminated.

The memorandum will also urge the government to ensure that the target of achieving 30 percent economic equity for bumiputeras would be achieved in the year 2020 and to also strengthen national schools further.

It is learnt that Ghafar would hand over the memorandum personally to Abdullah, who is also prime minister, soon.

According to sources, the group had met in Kuala Lumpur last Tuesday to discuss the future of the Malays in this country.

Among those present at the meet were former Umno secretaries-general Sanusi Junid and Mohamed Rahmat, former Kelantan menteri besar Mohamad Yaakob, former youth and sports Minister Mokhtar Hashim and former Wanita Umno chief Dr Siti Zaharah Sulaiman.

Political power

The sources said Ghafar, in his speech, said that Malays are dependent on their political power as the other races were controlling the nation's economy.

He added that unfortunately some Umno leaders are more concerned with making money for themselves.

"Ghafar said he was disappointed that some Umno leaders were using money to buy power and use that power to amass more wealth. He warned that this would eventually destroy Umno," said the sources.

Ghafar, who was deputy premier from 1985-93, had also blamed the Umno top leadership for the erosion of democratic practices in the party where members were prohibited from contesting certain top posts..

"Contest in the party, said Ghafar, should be open to all members in order to ensure that even the party president has to work hard to win support.

"By winning easily or uncontested, they could disregard the trust of the members and that of the Malays," the sources quoted him as saying.

As such, Ghafar had expressed hope that veteran Umno leaders would support the struggle to restore the party's credibility and strengthen it.

"Ghafar also expressed his frustration on how difficult it is for him to meet a particular Umno menteri besar although the appointment was set six months earlier whereas it took him just one day to have the appointment with Kelantan Menteri Besar Nik Aziz Nik Mat (who is also opposition party PAS' spiritual leader)," said the sources.