Mahatir, opposition trade charges

Mahatir, opposition trade charges

BUKIT SAGU, Malaysia (Reuters): Malaysian Prime Minister
Mahathir Mohamad and the opposition leader swapped accusations
yesterday in a running battle between the political rivals.

Mahathir accused Lim Kit Siang, secretary general of the
Democratic Action Party (DAP), of using his party to protect his
son Lim Guan Eng, who is DAP deputy secretary general.

"They choose the son, then use the party to protect the son,"
Mahathir told reporters after inaugurating a cement plant in the
eastern state of Pahang. "That is nepotism."

Kit Siang has been facing rumblings of dissent from within his
party from members who are disgruntled over his son's position
and a national DAP campaign against a sedition sentence which a
court meted out to Guan Eng earlier this year.

The DAP last week punished three leaders, who subsequently
have balked at the sanctions.

Kit Siang has repeatedly denied promoting his son, saying Guan
Eng has shown his devotion by spending time in jail and risking
another, 18-month sentence for the sedition conviction. Guan Eng
has appealed against the conviction.

Local newspapers have devoted large amounts of space to the
bickering within the DAP, and the party on Friday directed all
leaders to stop speaking to the press on the matter.

Mahathir said the DAP had "gagged" its members. "They claimed
that the government does not give freedom of the press. So what
is this?" he said.

"The stripes of the tiger are emerging."

Kit Siang said in a statement that Mahathir's coalition was
using its influence over the local media to give wide play to the
DAP's problems.

The DAP leader said one Malay-language daily was giving broad
coverage of his party's woes "when it has no word about the grave
problem of KKN -- corruption, cronyism and nepotism -- in
Malaysia which is now the focus of national and international
concern".

Kit Siang said general elections, not due until 2000, could be
held as early as August in view of the economic downturn and
"deepening political problems" in Mahathir's United Malays
National Organization (UMNO).

UMNO leaders have repeatedly dismissed speculation that
elections might be called this year.