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.