Umno has issued a stern warning to the son of veteran leader Dr Mahathir Mohamad for criticising Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi at the party's annual meeting.

Mukhriz Mahathir, a member of the party's influential youth wing, caused a stir by saying that Abdullah's keynote speech delivered to last month's assembly offered nothing new.

He also criticised Abdullah's failure to address criticisms levelled at him by his father, who has waged a bitter campaign against the new administration which has ruled Malaysia for the past three years.

Umno Youth chief Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, who also serves as education minister, said late Thursday that the movement had accepted Mukhriz's explanation over the comments, and hoped he had learned his lesson.

Stern warning

"The explanation was given and apology sought over what has happened," he said after a meeting of the Umno Youth executive council, according to the state Bernama news agency.

"This is a stern warning to Datuk Mukhriz and to our other friends to never repeat such things again," he said, using his honorific title.

After a year of public brawling, Umno was braced for another showdown between Abdullah and Mahathir at the general assembly, but Mahathir was forced to bow out after suffering a mild heart attack.

Mahathir, 81, has accused Abdullah of mismanagement and corruption, in a campaign triggered by the new administration's decision to sideline several of his pet projects including the Proton national car.