Mukhriz: Dad threw a fit when Umno tried to field me in election

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad was so averse to having his children being actively involved in politics that he once threw a fit after finding out that there were plans to field his son, Mukhriz Mahathir in the 1999 general election.
The former Kedah menteri besar recalled how the current Malacca Yang di-Pertua Negeri, Mohd Khalil Yaakob, wanted to field him in as a candidate for a parliamentary seat when his father was prime minister.
"He said 'be ready, I will be putting your name in'. Khalil was Umno secretary-general at the time.
"Later, Khalil told me my father threw a fit when he saw my name there, he asked 'whose work is this?' and struck it out.
"He (Mahathir) could have let me contest, but yet he didn't because he was sticking to his principles," Mukhriz told Malaysiakini in an interview.
This is why Muhkriz finds it simply absurd when Mahathir's critics continue to claim that his father is back in politics simply to ensure that his son becomes prime minister.