KOTA KINABALU:
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Joseph Pairin Kitingan said former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s resignation from Umno is not an unusual thing. It is a common thing for veteran party members to resign and younger ones to join a party, Pairin said when asked to comment on Mahathir’s decision to leave Umno, citing among other reasons loss of confidence in the current Umno leadership. “Just because it is Tun, the media use it as an attraction for people and make it as a huge matter,” he said. Pairin said it was Tun’s decision to resign from Umno and it will not affect the Party or any individuals, and people have accepted the matter as something that has already happened. According to him, Mahathir should remain calm in his retirement years and the matter will not put any pressure on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. However, Mahathir’s sudden resignation from the Party raised doubt among the people since the latter’s son is still in the Party, he said. “But we need not dwell much on that; we should be united and move forward, do our job and responsibility that can contribute to the development of the country and help the people,” he said. He added that there are problems that need full attention and more important to be solved such as the aliens and the poor people.
