At Pakatan rally, Malaysians THRILLED to hear of how Dr M is thumping Najib

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's name keeps popping up in the Opposition camp in Permatang Pauh.

Mahathir's livid criticisms of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, which included his tirade calling for the Najib's resignation, are being hailed by Pakatan leaders.

At a ceramah in Kubang Hulu last night, PKR deputy president Azmin Ali said it would be better to support a 90-year-old man than the 44-year-old BN candidate Suhaimi Sabudin as Suhaimi would never question Najib.

"Do you know who is this 90-year-old man?" Azmin (left) asked, and the crowd replied pointedly "Mahathir!".

Azmin said Suhaimi would never question Najib and his wife Rosmah Mansor for their daughter's lavish wedding parties.

He noted that he received an invitation but declined to attend the wedding.

The couple had parties in Kuala Lumpur, Pekan (Pahang, Najib's home state) and Kazakhstan, the country of Najib's son-in-law.

Flowers from Holland

According to information collected, fresh flowers alone, flown direct from Holland, accounted for RM3 million, Azmin said.

"This figure does not include door gifts such as the most expensive crystals in the world and Birkin handbags, which cost RM200,000, given away to guests," Azmin claimed as the crowd gasped.

"This is what made Mahathir angry. How can you support a leader like Najib? Is Suhaimi brave enough to fight Najib?" Azmin asked.

Azmin said the Permatang Pauh campaign has reached its peak - with only three days more to polling day on Thursday - but Suhaimi  has yet to say anything of substance.

He added that Suhaimi appeared to be hiding behind top BN leaders who accompany him on his campaign trail.

"If he is not brave, how to be a parliamentarian? He will go to Parliament and say he supports the goods and services tax (GST)," Azmin queried.

"That is why we need to bury BN and Umno come polling day on May 7."

Azmin said Suhaimi cannot bring any changes to Permatang Pauh as he represents a party that is "useless".

"BN was rather proud to announce a young candidate in Suhaimi but his brain is like a 100 year old - stupid," Azmin said.

No principles and idealism

Azmin Ali

"No point being young when you have no principles or idealism," Azmin said of Suhaimi, who is a quantity surveyor by profession.

"It is better to be 90 years old, but fight corruption," Azmin said of Mahathir.

"We will support any effort to bury BN, especially in Permatang Pauh," Azmin said to loud cheers from the 200-odd crowd.

Suhaimi is vying for the seat with three others - PKR's Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, PRM's Azman Shah Othman and independent Salleh Isahak.

The seat fell vacant when its former MP and PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim failed to obtain a royal pardon for his early release from Sungai Buloh where he is serving a five-year jail term for sodomy since Feb 10. - M'kini