Mahathir vows to fight graft

Mahathir vows to fight graft

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuter): Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has
vowed to crack down on corruption in Malaysia's ruling party but
analysts said yesterday it will be hard for him to succeed.

"I am disappointed with those using money to get positions,"
Mahathir said on Tuesday, indicating he would take steps by the
weekend to fight "money-politics" in his United Malays National
Organization (UMNO).

Money-politics in UMNO, which dominates the ruling National
Front coalition, specifically involves vote-buying in the run-up
to internal party elections.

Officials and political sources said politicians were spending
millions of dollars to win posts giving them an inside track on
government contracts and other lucrative business opportunities.

Mahathir's latest outburst against money-politics in UMNO
followed a revelation on Tuesday that a candidate in the upcoming
divisional elections had spent about six million ringgit (US$2.4
million) securing votes.