"Please ... remember what happened to you the last time [in the 1987 Umno election when the party was split]?

"Don't let it happen to Abdullah [Ahmad Badawi]. We don't need this.

"Please, let's help the party, help the country. We recognise all your contributions but, please, let Abdullah run the government," appealed Rafidah, who is also International Trade and Industry Minister.

Rafidah, who was also taken to task by Mahathir over her ministry's issuance of thousands of permits to import motorcars to a few selected individuals, said she was deeply saddened by the prolonged criticisms of the former premier against his successor.

"No prime mnister enjoys 100 per cent support.

"Dr Mahathir should be the first to know this because he was severely criticised during his tenure.

"He almost lost the presidency in the contest with Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah [in 1987] and he could not even garner a 50-vote majority.

"He should remember the harsh criticism from Umno members and the public against him. But the majority of us rallied behind him and he won - but by a razor thin majority," said Rafidah.

She stressed that Abdullah should be allowed to run the government. Rafidah said that as a Cabinet minister and Umno women chief, she supported Abdullah as the leader.

She also stressed that Abdullah had allowed full debate during all the Cabinet meetings and while some of the decisions made might have been painful they were made with collective consensus.

The Star

Asia News Network

Kuala Lumpur