My son's not the chosen one, laments Mahathir

Although Umno delegates will only go to the polls tomorrow, former president Dr Mahathir Mohamad is claiming to already know that his son Mukhriz (below), who is vying for one of six vice-president post, may not succeed.

"I find that in Umno, the delegates choose the person who is perceived to be the president's choice. Like in my time, those who oppose me cannot win...

"(Mukhriz's) chance is 50-50, or even less than 50 percent. He's not the chosen one...people don't like change," he told reporters.

Earlier in his speech at the Malay Chamber of Commerce event, the party's longest-serving president admitted that in Umno polls, money talks.

"Corruption is widespread. It is tiring because lots of money go down to the ground.

"If the money doesn't go down, then (you) won't get elected," he said to a question from the floor.

Elaborating on this during the press conference, he said that even though the delegate size of about 150,000 is big, "some people can afford (to give cash)".

He added that he "received information" that this has been the case in the lead up to tomorrow's polling day for the central leadership.

However, he does not have enough evidence to lodge a report about it with the disciplinary committee.

"I don't have solid evidence to make a report but I know that it happens. People who have received money never want to admit that they have received money."

He said that when he was president, he also knew of money changing hands over the deputy president race, but no one wanted to admit to it.

Umno saw several deputy presidents elected while Mahathir was president, including Musa Hitam, Ghafar Baba, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and now Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim (above).

'Consider views of non-members'

Meanwhile, he said that maintaining the status quo in Umno's top leadership is not good for the party as it needs to also consider the views of outsiders, including its supporters.

He said that outsiders may not be Umno members but could be supporters who want Umno to change and a status quo in leadership does not convey this message.

Malaysiakini understands that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, who has managed to retain his presidency uncontested, favours a status quo and has achieved this with the re-election of incumbent Wanita chief Shahrizat Abdul Jalil (right) and Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin.

Shahrizat yesterday also said the influential Wanita wing is behind the three incumbent vice-presidents Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Hishammuddin Hussein and Mohd Shafie Apdal.

While not as apparent, Khairy has also indicated that a status quo is preferable.

Other contenders for the three vice-president posts are Mohd Ali Rustam and Isa Samad.