Malaysia’s former PM quits party in protest against corruption

Malaysia’s former Prime Minister Mahatir Mohamad announced Monday he is quitting the ruling United Malays National Organisation, or UMNO, party, which he accuses of protecting current Prime Minister Najib Razak, implicated in a corruption case.

UNMO is the biggest party in the National Front, the coalition governing Malaysia since its independence in 1965.

Najib, as head of the party, assumed power in the 2013 elections, despite having overseen the worst election results in the party’s history.

Mahatir, who governed between 1981 and 2003, criticized Najib after the latter was accused in June of siphoning off around $700 million from the public investment fund 1MDB.

“I won’t call it UMNO anymore, this is Najib’s party. I feel embarrassed that I am associated with a party that is seen as supporting corruption,” Mahatir said, according to Channel News Asia.

Mahatir had left the party in 2008 too, protesting the disappointing election results of the party, then led by Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

The former prime minister, still an influential political figure in his 90s, returned to the party when Badawi was replaced by Najib, son of another former prime minister, Abdul Razzak.