Mahathir dares Badawi to resign

Kuala Lumpur: Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad accused the government yesterday of bribing ruling party members to defeat him in party polls.

In some of his most combative comments since starting a one-man anti-government campaign about a year ago, Mahathir also challenged Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to resign.

"Either he changes or he steps down," Mahathir, 81, said. Otherwise, "the only way they can stop me is to throw me in jail," said Mahathir, who gave up power in October 2003 after 22 years as prime minister.