Umno should not use its April 18 deadline as an excuse to shun from investigating a letter that accused top party leaders of being involved in money politics.

In a press statement today, parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang said a technicality should not be allowed to impede justice.

"It will be most unfortunate and unconvincing if substantive justice - in getting to the root of serious allegations of money politics and corrupt practises against top leaders of the party and government - is frustrated or denied because of a technicality," he added.

He asked why these new allegations, which are said to be backed by witnesses, were not given prominence.

He also urged the Umno supreme council to authorise its disciplinary board to lift the 'arbitrary deadline' and probe the matter.

Lim was referring to an exclusive malaysiakini report on the letter, which was sent to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi by an Umno division deputy chief.

The opposition leader also told the party not to use the letter writer's 'motive' as another excuse as this was an extraneous issue.

"The issue is very simple and straightforward. (It is) whether or not there is any truth in the allegations of money politics and corrupt practises against the 15 Umno leaders," he added.

The letter accused the leaders, including a vice-president and six supreme council members, of vote buying during the party polls last September.

They involved two ministers, two deputy ministers, two chief ministers and two mentri besars.

Special circumstances

Lim argued the supreme council must exercise its given power to lift the deadline as it is warranted in this instance because of its "special circumstances".

"I have read the letter concerned and I find it most serious. (It) warrants a full and thorough investigation to bring to book those guilty of corrupt practises or to clear the name of leaders unfairly implicated in the allegations," Lim added.

He also called on the newly implicated 15 leaders to openly support the deadline's waiver so that they could clear their reputation.

Yesterday, Umno supreme council member Annuar Musa told malaysiakini that there is no need to either mention or discuss the letter as the allegations were made after the deadline.

The Umno disciplinary board had likewise previously said it will not entertain any complaints of money politics after the deadline.

The board had, based on reports received during the time frame, investigated and found vice-president Mohd Isa Abdul Samad guilty of money politics.

The federal territories minister is now appealing against his six-year suspension .