UMNO suspends 16 for corruption

UMNO suspends 16 for corruption

MALAYSIA: Malaysia's main ruling party suspended 16 members on Wednesday in its toughest crackdown yet on corruption, and said it was investigating several senior figures for possible vote- buying in September's party elections.

The United Malays National Organization (UMNO), responding to the prime minister's anti-corruption drive, said it would offer immunity to informants to help step up probes into vote-buying.

"We have to eradicate the menace of money politics," UMNO disciplinary board chief Tengku Ahmad Rithaudeen told reporters. "It could be cancerous if not checked."

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has put fighting corruption at the top of his agenda since taking over the helm a year ago from veteran leader Mahathir Mohamad.

UMNO has led government since independence in 1957 and sees itself as the political vehicle of Malays, the majority ethnic grouping. Malays live mainly in the countryside and are poorer than the next biggest group, the Chinese, who dominate business.

Rithaudeen said the 16 party members had been suspended for up to six years for vote-buying in divisional elections ahead of the Sept. 23 party assembly, where the top posts were decided.

This brought to 38 the number of suspensions since August, he said. Twelve others had been let off with a warning. UMNO has 3.2 million members. --Reuters