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