KUALA LUMPUR - FORMER premier Mahathir Mohamad dramatically upped the stakes in his bitter battle with his successor yesterday when he quit the ruling party and urged other members to follow him.
Tun Dr Mahathir, 82, who led the United Malays National Organisation for 22 years, said he was resigning to protest against Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi's leadership.
His shock announcement to 1,000 party members at a forum in his home state Kedah was greeted with cheers.
'I am quitting Umno today. I will come back to the party only when there is a change in leadership.'
Tun Dr Mahathir's public feud with his hand-picked successor started two years ago when he criticised PM Abdullah's policies such as the scrapping of the 'crooked bridge' to link Singapore and Johor.
The resignation was seen as a classic Mahathir move. It pulled the rug from under the embattled Prime Minister just as he was beginning to regain his footing after fending off calls for his resignation following the losses in March 8 polls.
The Umno-led Barisan Nasional coalition lost its traditional two-thirds majority in Parliament in the polls.
Dr Mahathir's resignation could reignite anger over the electoral losses and lead to renewed calls for Datuk Seri Abdullah's resignation.
Umno leaders have also expressed fears that younger members and divisional leaders loyal to Tun Dr Mahathir may follow suit, splitting the party and weakening its shaky hold on the coalition.
But the Prime Minister said yesterday that he would not resign - 'Why should I? I have a lot of work to do,' he said.
He said that he was surprised at Tun Dr Mahathir's resignation and admitted it would 'weaken the party to an extent'. But he said he did not believe that there would be a mass exodus of Umno members.
So far, only Umno veteran Sanusi Junid, former Kedah menteri besar, has announced his resignation.
Kelantan prince Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, who is trying to unseat PM Abdullah, expressed support for Tun Dr Mahathir but refuted rumours that he would quit.
'The sycophants who populate Umno need to heed this message. Mahathir is calling on the membership to have courage to address the country's problems,' he told an Umno grassroots gathering in Alor Star, Kedah.
Deputy Premier Najib Razak expressed his shock and sadness and said he was prepared to meet Tun Dr Mahathir to discuss his decision.
'I will also discuss with Datuk Seri Abdullah...efforts to strengthen Umno and also the issue of leadership transition in the party.
'I hope all Umno members will stay calm and give support to our efforts to strengthen the party,' he added.
This is not the first time that Tun Dr Mahathir has left the party. He was expelled in 1969 after attacking then-party president and prime minister Abdul Rahman over his administration.
He rejoined Umno three years later, and was prime minister from 1981 to October 2003.
