KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 27 ― Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has symbolically bid farewell to Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), accusing members who stayed with the party as choosing profit above principles by backing Perikatan Nasional.

Dr Mahathir, formerly Bersatu’s chairman and founding member, said the party will be left with no seat to contest in the upcoming election as Umno has decided to contest in all constituencies formerly contested by Bersatu.

"As ye sow, so shall ye reap. You reap what you sow.

"Goodbye Bersatu,” he wrote in his blog.

Dr Mahathir again lamented that Bersatu had contributed to the fall of the previous administration by working with rival Umno and all for the purported purpose of self-gratification.

"This is Malaysian politics now. There is nothing easier to make money than through politics. The question of what happens to the nation, the country, even the religion, is another matter but not a matter to politicians. [You] can earn up to RM2 billion from politics.

"Sometimes there is a chance to jump. Okaylah. Can’t get a million, get hundreds of thousands is already okay. At least you got it,” he said.

Yet, Dr Mahathir pointed out the irony that Umno now is not willing to compromise even one seat to Bersatu.

This follows after Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin had revealed yesterday that the party’s highest decision-making body had decided that BN would contest all the seats they had lost in the 14th general election.

This includes seats that they lost to Bersatu, either to defection or by losing in marginal votes.

Zahidi added that if Bersatu wanted to contest, they should do so elsewhere.

"Where would Bersatu contest now?” Dr Mahathir asked, referring to Zahidi’s revelation.