Malaysia's gains could be lost in elections: Mahathir
Malaysia's gains could be lost in elections: Mahathir
KUALA LUMPUR (Agencies): Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad warned on Thursday that Malaysia's economic and political gains could be lost if a strong party fails to emerge from forthcoming elections.
Mahathir, speaking to reporters after addressing a training program for youth leaders of the ruling party, said he expected to can general elections "before July next year."
Malaysia must hold elections within two months after the current parliament's five-year term ends next April, but there has been growing talk of a snap poll later this year amid signs of economic recovery.
Asked what his message to Malaysian voters would be, the veteran prime minister said: "We want to tell them they must not take things for granted.
"If we have a hung parliament, if we don't have a strong party to rule this country, then the good life that they are enjoying win no longer be there. They win suffer economically socially and politically," he said.
Mahathir's United Malays National Organization (UMNO) which leads the ruling National Front coalition, has 168 seats in the 192-seat parliament.
He said UMNO had been conducting a purge of members since the sacking and arrest last September of former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim, who is currently on trial on sodomy charges after being jailed for corruption.
"We have expelled altogether maybe 300 or 400 members since 1981. We have 2.6 minion tokens. We are not worried about expelling these people. They are useless in the party anyway," he said.
The premier criticized Malaysia's opposition parties which include a new reformist one headed by Anwar's wife Azizah Ismail, who he said were "busy fighting each other."
Meanwhile, leaders of the four opposition parties that formed a new coalition in Malaysia are challenging the government to set up an independent commission to monitor upcoming general elections.
In a statement faxed to The Associated Press on Thursday the leaders caned for a team of international and local observers to report any dirty tactics and identify the parties involved.
Among the leaders who signed the statement were Azizah, President of the Pan Malaysian Islamic Party Fadzil Mohd Noor, President of the Malaysian Peoples' Party Syed Husin Ali, and Lim Kit Siang, leader of the Democratic Action Party.