With Umno set to vote for its top office-bearers tomorrow, influential former president Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has alleged that the party elections is rife with money politics.
He said he found the money-for-vote culture is still rampant in the party and those who are voting are only doing so because of it.
"If money is not given out, the person will not be voted in," he said at a Hari Raya Aidil Adha event and launching of several Ummah funds in Kuala Lumpur today.
In citing his own experience, Dr Mahathir said when he was contesting to be a delegate a few years ago, the going rate for delegates was RM200 per person.
"We are so easily influenced by money," lamented the country's longest-serving prime minister.
Dr Mahathir's son, Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir is one of the six candidates vying for the three spots in the vice-presidency.
The others are incumbents Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal and Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as well as contenders Felda chairman Tan Sri Mohd Isa Samad and former Malacca chief minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam.
Dr Mahathir said he had received numerous complaints of money politics taking place in this year's party polls but unfortunately does not have enough solid evidence to lodge a report with the party's disciplinary committee.
"But I know it's happening. People who have received money won't want to admit to it.
"Even during my time, I know people who received money but when you ask, they'll say no," he said and cited an example where money politics came into play in the party's deputy president contest while he was still heading the Malay ruling party.
Dr Mahathir's former deputies were Tun Musa Hitam, Tun Ghafar Baba, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Allegations of money politics in Umno is nothing new.
Former vice-president Tan Sri Isa Samad was found guilty and suspended for money politics in 2005.
Another former vice-president Datuk Mohd Ali Rustam was barred from contesting after he was found to have violated party election regulations in the same year.
Both Isa and Mohd Ali, together with Mahathir's son, Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir, are vying for the three spots in the vice-presidency race.
They will be facing incumbents Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal and Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Some 146,000 delegates will vote for Umno's top office-bearers tomorrow.
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