Sanusi: Dr M and I living on borrowed time, don't pin hope on us

Umno veteran Sanusi Junid today admitted that he and former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad were living on "borrowed time" and urged the people not to pin their hope solely on them to lead a revolution.

"Don't put your hope on any individual - for example, me or Tun (Mahathir) - because if the individual passes away, then the struggle will end," he said during a dialogue session featuring the former prime minister in Kuala Lumpur today.

Nonetheless, Sanusi pledged that they will still help in any way they can, including disseminating information about the 1MDB and RM2.6 billion scandals.

Mahathir, backed by loyalists such as Sanusi, has been on a warpath against Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, demanding that he resign over these scandals.

Sanusi said the fact that he and Mahathir may meet their maker soon meant there was no reason for them to lie about the scandals plaguing Najib.

"Tun (Mahathir) is 90 years old. I am already 72 years old; we are living on borrowed time.

"Think about it: Would people like us lie near the end of our lives?

"Would we want to be questioned by Allah why we committed wrong near the end of our lives?" he said.

'Now we want to die in the ring'

He added that as leaders who have been with Umno since its inception, their love for the party is unquestionable.

Earlier, Sanusi said he was recently discharged from Institut Jantung Negara (IJN) and was still having trouble walking but had insisted on attending the Umno general assembly held at the Putra World Trade Centre.

"I joined Umno on Oct 13, 1963 and after Umno was de-registered, Tun later became party member 001.

"I am 007, like James Bond. Do you believe that someone who is the first party member would want to see the organisation destroyed?" he said.

Likewise, Sanusi said he was also insistent about coming to see Mahathir speak at the dialogue session today hosted at the Islamic Arts Museum in Kuala Lumpur.

During the event, Mahathir was asked if he will quit Umno in protest against Najib like he did during his quarrel with former premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

However, Sanusi answered on Mahathir's behalf, stating: "Last time is a different time, now is a different time".

"A winner never quits and a quitter never wins. Now we want to die in the ring," he said. -Mkini