Barisan Nasional should contest the Penanti state seat in Penang, former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said at a function organised by the Raub Umno Youth today.

mahathir 0980409 He told Bernama that if BN did not contest the seat, the ruling coalition's members and supporters in the area would be disappointed.

According to him, BN had never been afraid of contesting in any elections even in PAS strongholds in Kelantan.

Mahathir was commenting on the likely by-election in the state seat of Penanti after former Penang Deputy Chief Minister I Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin announced on Thursday that he was quitting the state assembly seat.

Corrupt practices will destroy Umno

The former premier also called on Umno and BN members to continue to speak up if their leaders did something wrong.

"We have to be critical in a good way and don't only remain loyal to leaders even if they clearly make mistakes,” he told Bernama .

He also advised Umno leaders and the younger generation not to take the easy way to gain positions and power, like using corrupt practices which would in the end destroy the party.