Using an aquatic analogy, a former Umno lawmaker argued that former prime ministers Najib Abdul Razak and Abdullah Ahmad Badawi inherited a stagnant pond, which only allowed bottom feeders to thrive.

Due to this, Mohamed Tawfik Ismail claimed the two leaders could only choose from the less desirable species of fish available to fill government positions.

"From my point of view, Umno was like a pond, it had no inlet and no outlet and it became stagnant.

"In such a pond, fish which are of beauty cannot survive. All that can survive are bottom feeders and that is what Umno had towards the end of its term of office this year.

"There was no inlet that allowed new species to come in because it was blocked by the guy that preceded them," he said during a book launch in Kuala Lumpur today.

Although he did not mention names, it was obvious that the son of former deputy premier Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman was referring to Dr Mahathir Mohamad who helmed Umno for more than two decades.

In 2003, Mahathir handed over the reins to Abdullah, who is affectionately known as Pak Lah. Najib replaced the latter in 2009.

Mahathir then played an instrumental role in ending both his handpicked successors' political careers.

Meanwhile, Tawfik also rued how Umno has failed to replace the water and introduce a new species of fish following its defeat in the May 9 general election.

"We are still getting the (same) rhetoric. The garbage that is coming out does not inspire much confidence in the species which is now the opposition," he said.

Ironically, it was Mahathir who spearheaded the former opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan to bring the curtain down on Umno's six-decade hold on power.

According to Tawfik, Umno, which is now headed by former deputy premier Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, is lacking direction.

He described the party members as a self-supporting group relying on each other to escape the present conundrum.

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