Weird and illogical - that's how Umno veteran Shahrir Abdul Samad today described former party president Dr Mahathir Mohamad's sudden resignation from the party yesterday.

parliamentary integrity forum 070606 syed shahrir pc The Johor Baru member of Parliament said that while Mahathir was a brilliant person, his resignation however did not seem like a very clever way of bringing about change within the party.

"I feel his actions are weird and not logical," he added when asked to comment today on Mahathir's shocking announcement.

Yesterday Mahathir, who had led the party and country for 22 years before handing over to Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in 2003, said that he was quitting the party as a sign of protest against Abdullah's weak leadership.

He also urged all party members and leaders to follow suit, stating that they could rejoin the party once Abdullah has stepped down.

Mahathir's wife Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali also had quit the party yesterday. Both Mahathir and Siti Hasmah were life-long members of the party.

Nobody is moving out

Shahrir today said that he was not going to follow Mahathir out of the party.

"I'm not going anywhere. If Umno parliamentarians are choosing to leave the party, (it means) we are not respecting the peoples' choice during the last election," he said.

"There was a time I didn't agree with the leadership, but I stayed with Umno because, to me, Umno is a democratic party and (has) considered everyone opinions," he added.

Speaking on the brief meeting that Umno MPs had with Abdullah in Parliament today, Shahrir said that there were no specific discussions on Mahathir.

"We hardly even had a discussion. It goes without saying that nobody is moving out of Umno. There's hardly any debate, we are in the party and part of being in the party is to show support," he added.

Semporna MP and Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Shafie Apdal said that he was sad to hear about Mahathir's departure from the party.

"He was a member whose contributions to the party were enormous. He was always very critical in his views even before he served his term as the prime minister which led to his sacking from Umno during Tunku Abdul Rahman's leadership," he said.

"I hope Umno members will not leave or jump into another party," he added.

Change from within

Umno supreme council member and Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar reminded party members to remain united and cohesive.

umno selangor meeting 170408 rafidah Wanita Umno chief Rafidah Aziz meanwhile said that Mahathir's action looked as though he was punishing the party over issues which he was not happy about.

"By right those who want change can do so internally, improve and correct from within. We know he wants transfer of power but it should be done systematically," she said.

"We were taught by him to be loyal to the party but it looks like he is not practicing what he preaches," added the former trade minister.