FORMER prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said it is wrong to label him as a political frog for jumping parties and insisted that he had always stood by his principles.

“I left Umno only because there were many unethical practices going on there, hence I founded Bersatu to explain to the public what Umno was doing,” he said during a meeting with Kampung Baru residents in Kuala Lumpur last night.

He said that it was unfortunate that Bersatu was later “hijacked” by others, resulting in his founding Pejuang.

“I can’t be sitting together with people who are more interested in making money, which is why I started Pejuang – to get people to focus on the right principles, not money,” said the party chairman.

He was referring to comments made by Baling Umno MP Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim who took a jab at the elder statesman, calling him “bapa loncat” during the parliamentary debate last week on of the anti-party hopping bill.

“Dr Mahathir is the father of all ‘frogs’. From Umno, sitting in Umno as prime minister and finally he got angry with some people, then he joined Bersatu as chairman.

“After that, he felt cheated, betrayed his friends in Bersatu and joined Pejuang,” said Azeez.

Dr Mahathir said he was always true to his principles.

“I stand by my principles from when I was at school, to becoming a prime minister with Umno, and then again with Pakatan Harapan.

“Which is why in Pejuang, we only strive for principles and not for money or power,” he said.

On Thursday, Dewan Rakyat passed the anti-party hopping bill by division vote with more than two-thirds majority. – August 1, 2022.