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Dr Mahathir’s presence at Bersih 4 should not be supported, says Zahid

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's presence at the Bersih rally yesterday, should not be “supported”, says Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. "Don't give support to a leader who comes to the rally for only six minutes," he said in reference to the former Prime Minister's brief appearance at the rally in Kuala Lumpur, along with his wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali. He did specifically say who should not support it but it is assumed he was refereeing to Umno members. Zahid is first top Umno leader to publicly comment on the former Prime Minister’s presence at the rally yesterday. Earlier today newly-minted Umno minister Dr Md Salleh Said Keruak has expressed his disappointment that Dr Mahathir had joined the Bersih 4 rally yesterday. He said it was as if Dr Mahathir was in league with the organiser of the illegal rally, Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih 2.0). “I am very disappointed that Tun M (Mahathir) turned up and ‘bersekongkol’ (collaborated) with Bersih,” he told delegates at the Malay party’s Sungai Besar Umno division meeting today. Ahmad Zahid said Dr Mahathir’s arrival at the rally had added pressure on the police, which had to look after his safety. Ahmad Zahid reiterated Putrajaya’s stand that the rally was illegal The Home Minister however, declined to comment whether police would take action against Dr Mahathir for his presence at the rally. "I leave it up to the police," he said. He added there was a leader who was purported to have attended the rally, but that leader was actually overseas now. He however, declined to name the leader he was referring to or from which party he came from. The Umno owned newspaper Utusan Malaysia had also hit out at Dr Mahathir’s presence at the rally, claiming that Malays were not happy with the statesman’s short presence. It said that the former prime minister's action was contradictory to his previous stand on protests. Dr Mahathir and his wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali arrived at Dataran Merdeka at about 7.30pm last night, where thousands of Bersih 4 rally participants were gathered. They were greeted by hundreds of yellow-clad protesters at the rally. He reportedly told the crowd that he just wanted to see what was happening at the rally. The presence of Malaysia's longest-serving prime minister at the rally created frenzy with many wanting to take pictures with him and shake his hand. He even said a few words, "Teruskan, teruskan", urging those gathered for the Bersih 4 rally to continue their fight in calling for a clean government. Dr Mahathir and Dr Siti Hasmah only stayed for about five minutes before leaving in a police car. As he got into his car and drove away, the crowd erupted into a bigger cheer, indicating a moral victory against the ruling government. Dr Mahathir has been Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's biggest critic over the past year in the wake of controversies surrounding the latter's administration. He had told Najib to resign months ago, a demand that Bersih 4 is also making, apart from its demands for reforms in the election system, governance, the economy, parliamentary democracy and the freedom to protest. – August 30, 2015.