Najib sworn in, Tunship for Abdullah and wife

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak today took his oath of office as the sixth Prime Minister of Malaysia before the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abdidin at Istana Negara, Kuala Lumpur here today.

Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi meanwhile received Seri Maharaja Mangku Negara (SMN), the nation's highest award which carries the title Tun from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
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Invitations to next PM's swearing in out eventhough the current PM havent resign

KUALA LUMPUR, - The Yang DiPertuan Agong Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin is to award Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi with the Tun title after he submits his resignation as prime minister on Thursday.

It is also understood that the Abdullah’s wife Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah will also receive a similar title.

The prime minister’s predecessor Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his wife Tun Siti Hasmah Ali also received similar titles when Dr Mahathir retired in 2003.

The Tun title is the most senior federal award and is divided into the Seri Maharaja Mangku Negara (SMN) or Seri Setia Mahkota (SSM), Malaysia’s fourth and fifth highest awards respectively. There can be only 25 living people with the SMN and 35 with the SSM at any one time. (The nation’s highest award is the Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa (SP) which was started in 1960.)

Abdullah announced last Saturday that he would submit his resignation letter on April 2 after his Umno party confirmed Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak as party president.

The prime minister said he would step down and make way for his deputy in a power transfer following the ruling Barisan Nasional’s disastrous results in Election 2008.

While the King has yet to formally accept Abdullah’s resignation, invitations have been sent out to all federal ministers, deputy ministers, state menteris besars and chief ministers to attend the swearing-in ceremony.

Najib has not said anything about his confirmation as the country’s sixth prime minister, saying he was awaiting the official announcement.

His selection also confirms the prophecy that the first initials of Malaysia’s first six premiers will form first prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman’s name.

DAP strongman Lim Kit Siang today said the early invitations to Najib’s swearing in, which was confirmed by Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, raised the question whether the King’s royal prerogative to appoint the next prime minister has been overlooked or disregarded.

“What happens if the Yang di Pertuan Agong does not consent to Abdullah’s desire to resign or needs time to discharge his royal prerogative?” the Ipoh Timur MP asked in a statement today.

“In the circumstances, isn’t it presumptuous as well as contempt for the royal prerogative of the Yang di Pertuan Agong to appoint the prime minister as provided by the constitution to proceed with the swearing-in ceremony for Najib to become the new prime minister when the Yang di Pertuan Agong has not met Abdullah and given his consent for Abdullah’s resignation?”

Lim said both Abdullah and Najib should explain these extraordinary developments. (TMI)

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Zaid urges King not to make Najib PM

KUALA LUMPUR - Datuk Zaid Ibrahim has made an impassioned plea to the King to not appoint Datuk Seri Najib Razak as prime minister, and instead appoint someone else from Umno "to bring us back from the brink."

The former de facto law minister urged the King to used his judgment to appoint as PM someone who is "beyond reproach in his dealings both official and private," in a scathing attack on his former Cabinet and party colleague.

"A prime minister must have the confidence of the majority of the rakyat…For this to be the case there cannot be anything in the mind of the greater public that, correctly or otherwise, associates him with matters of criminality, wrongful action, improper conduct or abuses of power," he said in a speech to the Rotary Club here today.

Zaid's remarks will certainly put pressure on Najib as he prepares to take power first as Umno president next week before taking over from Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi as prime minister the following week.

The former minister's comments also come a day after Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad also piled on the pressure on Najib by saying he did not shine as a deputy prime minister and acknowledging the baggage he carries into the job.

In his speech, Zaid also made reference to what has been described as the kind of baggage that no other Malaysian leader had on entering office.

He has been linked on the internet and by political rivals to the brutal murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu although he has firmly denied involvement and there is no evidence to tie him to the death.

Najib's popularity rating also stands at just 41 per cent, according to a recent poll by the independent Merdeka Centre.

Zaid said that while he did not intend any accusation, he felt that Najib was not beyond reproach in the collective mind of the rakyat.

"The rakyat has doubts, fuelled by the unanswered allegations against him. It is not a mere trifle in the minds of the rakyat that despite a direct challenge from a member of parliament recently, the deputy prime minister remained silent," he said.

Zaid also cited the RM400 million in commissions reportedly paid by the Defence Ministry while Najib was minister for the procurement of submarines, and pointed out that Abdul Razak Baginda, the DPM's friend was an agent in the deal.

The Altantuya murder was also cited by Zaid, who pointed out that there were many unanswered questions which the public deserved to be told about.

He also described the recent power grab in Perak as an unmitigated disaster.

"They (the public) now equate him with the high-handed tactics that were employed to seize power.

"With all of this and more, how are we not to feel anxious? How are we to sleep peacefully at night?"

Zaid said that while the King is required under the Constitution to appoint the person who commands the confidence of the majority of the members of parliament, it is a matter for His Majesty's judgment.

"There is no constitutional obligation on His Majesty to appoint the president of Umno as the prime minister.

"There are still well qualified members of parliament from Umno who can be appointed PM to bring us back from the brink." (TMI)

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Pak Lah & Anwar historic lunch in Hulu Langat

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had an unexpected meeting at a religious school in Hulu Langat, near here, yesterday.

News websites and political portals reported that both of them had been invited by well-known Ustaz, Sheikh Mahmud Al-Mazjub to celebrate Maulidur Rasul at his Madrasah Nurul Iman, Hulu Langat, Selangor.

The portals said there were over 1,000 people at the function who were surprised at the visit of the two men.

Abdullah is said to have arrived about 20 minutes before Anwar and PKR president-wife Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Ismail.

Pictures on the portals showed that Abdullah and Anwar also had lunch with Sheikh Mahmud. The three of them also performed zohor prayers at the school.

Their unexpected meeting raised eyebrows and led to all sorts of speculation on the Internet.

However, Anwar said in his blog that there had been too many assumptions and interpretations over their presence at the function.

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DrM mocks BN over Perak Deadlock

KUALA LUMPUR, – Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has ridiculed Umno president Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi for asking Datuk Zambry Abdul Kadir to lodge a police report against the Perak State Assembly Speaker.

Writing in his popular chedet.cc blog, he said that while it was possible for the Speaker to commit a crime, “the suspension of any assemblyman is not a crime which the police can take action against.”

Known for his acerbic criticism, the former prime minister has been a thorn in Abdullah’s side in recent years.

But in previous remarks, he has also expressed his disapproval over Barisan’s move to court the defections of the two former PKR Perak assemblymen – Osman Jailu and Jamaludin Mohd Radzi.

The resignation from PKR of the two men and their backing for Barisan Nasional (BN) sparked the downfall of the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) Perak government but it has also drawn criticism because the two men are facing graft charges in court.

In his latest blog post, Dr Mahathir poured scorn on Abdullah’s suggestion for Zambry to lodge a police report against Speaker V Sivakumar over the suspension of the Perak MB and his entire state executive council.

“If the decision of the Speaker can be considered a crime, then what will happen when the Parliamentary Speaker suspends opposition members for whatever reasons?

“And this happens frequently. Will opposition members lodge police reports? If they can, then can we consider the police to have powers over the Parliamentary Speaker?”

The former PM also commented on Zambry’s statement that he would attend the state assembly sitting despite the suspension.

He said that under the legislature’s standing orders, the Speaker can direct officers of the assembly to remove Zambry.

“Also, where will Zambry sit? What if Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin sits in the mentri besar’s chair? Will the Speaker ask his officers to force Nizar to vacate the chair?

“Let us all as citizens watch what happens next.” (TMI)

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Zaid - Half of present Cabinet members have passed their shelf life

Half the present members of Cabinet have passed their shelf life, their former colleague said today.

Datuk Zaid Ibrahim said that when Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak becomes the prime minister in March, he will have the option of assembling a younger and stronger Cabinet.

"To do so, he will have to disband half of the present crop of Ministers, who have in any event certainly passed their shelf life. There are many young leaders in Umno and the BN who are capable technocrats but, more importantly, they are not the typical Umno idealogues and are more moderate in their positions."

"Khairy Jamaluddin is capable and has enough gumption to effect changes the new Government may need to effect. He could be a star in the future, if he is not buried or sidelined in March.

"And another young Umno leader is Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah - the present Deputy Minister of Entrepreneur Development.

"These are bright BN second liners and will make good Ministers, '' said the lawyer who was appointed a senator and made a minister by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi after Barisan Nasional's poor performance on March 8.

Zaid had a tough time in Cabinet and his desire to push through judicial reforms quickly was resisted by several Umno ministers.

He resigned from government after the Internal Security Act was used on a journalist and an opposition politician.

Speaking at a luncheon talk in Singapore, he said that in all probability, Najib will persist with the so-called "Umno tradition" of giving Cabinet posts to those who hold senior party positions.
He cautioned that it will be a fatal mistake for Umno and Barisan Nasional if Najib reversed some of the reforms started by Abdullah.

He noted that it was Abdullah who reintroduced integrity, good governance and judicial reform into Malaysia's political lexicon.

"It took courage for Pak Lah to not only reintroduce them but to take steps towards giving them substance.

"The establishing of the Institute of Integrity, the Judicial Appointments Commission and the Anti Corruption Commission, all of which could have been better tailored to their purpose and declared aims, signalled the need for a massive change of direction - a paradigm shift, if you will
- in political governance.

"Will these efforts herald a new era in anti-corruption efforts as well as allow for more meaningful efforts to restore judicial independence and competence? Only Datuk Seri Najib can answer this, '' he said.

He noted that though Abdullah will be leaving the scene soon, he will leave behind an important legacy: a more open and critical society. Sadly Islam Hadhari was sorely misunderstood, said Zaid.

"A good idea, aimed at promoting moderation and progressiveness in Islamic discourse, it did not take off principally for the effort having been handicapped by its promotion having been undertaken by traditional stakeholders like Jakim and other Umno leaders.

"They were sadly more interested in pursuing political ambitions and aims than realising the noble aspirations underlying the campaign.

"The League of Nations conceived by Harry Truman failed as an organisation, but the idea was too good to die with the organisation and today we have the United Nations.

"I hope the reforms Pak Lah gave life to will survive him, '' he added.

(TheMalaysianinsider)

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Pak Lah fails to get cabinet members to declare assets

KUALA LUMPUR- He may have been successful in pushing through several important pieces of legislation but Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has been an abject failure in persuading his ministers, deputy ministers and their family members to declare their assets.

A few days after the March 8 general elections, the prime minister, reeling from the serious setback suffered by the Barisan Nasional and aware that he needed to snatch the news cycle from Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the resurgent Pakatan Rakyat, announced that all members of the Cabinet, deputy ministers must fill up asset declaration forms by the Anti-Corruption Agency.

Following this, the ACA announced that the information on asset declaration would be made available online so that members of public can scrutinize the information.

But sources have told the Malaysian Insider that the plan has faced stiff resistance from several ministers, who did not want the veil to be lifted on assets owned by family members.

A government official said: "There were strong objections from ministers who felt that it would be an invasion of privacy for the public to know what the financial worth of their spouses, brothers and sisters.

"Several of them were prepared to step down from the Cabinet rather than submit to this asset declaration."

Faced with this wall of resistance, Abdullah backed off. As a result, this plan to make the government more transparent appears headed for nowhere.

To be sure, even the Pakatan Rakyat-run states have not been able to make good its promises of listing down assets owned by its elected representatives. (TheMalaysianInsider)

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Fuel prices reduced by 10 sen

KUALA LUMPUR: The retail price of petrol and diesel will be reduced by 10 sen a litre each effective Wednesday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has announced.

The price of petrol RON97 will be reduced from RM2.00 a litre to RM1.90, RON92 petrol to RM1.80 from RM1.90 and diesel to RM1.80 from RM1.90.
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Najib's Budget 2009 revision irked Oppositions

KUALA LUMPUR- Finance Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak revised the 2009 Budget today, presenting additional steps such as a RM7 billion injection into the economy as a "policy response" to deal with the global financial crisis.

Besides the RM7 billion injection, which is the savings from fuel subsidies, he also revised downwards the country's gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast.

"This is to ensure Malaysia's economy continues to grow and the rakyat do not come under too much pressure," he said in Parliament today when announcing the new measures.

The revision brings forecasted GDP growth down to 3.5 per cent from 5.4 per cent and the budget deficit upwards to 4.8 per cent from 3.6 per cent.

This is due to changes in estimated revenue from RM176.22 billion to RM168.73 while expenditure remained the same.

With this, the Deputy Prime Minister crushed the opposition's hope to have the budget retabled. Najib also insisted that the government was "not in denial."

"Even though Malaysia is not directly experiencing a financial crisis and has strong financial fundamentals, we are aware that Malaysia is not exempt or sheltered from the risks of challenging global developments," he said.

He backed this up by stating that the national reserve was still healthy at 37 per cent of GDP with only 2.5 per cent non-performing loans and a risk weighted capital-adequacy ratio of just 13.2 per cent, above the international standard of 8 per cent.

Najib also said the government will proceed with the proposal to inject RM5 billion into ValueCap via a loan from the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) to purchase undervalued stocks.

He insisted that the funds would be guaranteed by the government and the returns from the loan would be higher than the prevailing interest rate but with minimum risk.

The DPM said this was to stimulate activity in the capital market and it was not compulsory for ValueCap to invest only in GLCs. He added that this move had precedents in Hong Kong's Tracker Fund during the 1998 economic crisis and also recent measures taken by the Qatar Investment Authority.

Najib also called the revised budget an expansionary one, stressing that priority would be given to projects with a high multiplier effect, citing as an example the shelving of the RM1.6 billion purchase of Eurocopter helicopters by the Ministry of Defence.

"The government has the flexibility to execute additional high impact projects due to savings from fuel subsidies. From these savings, the government will execute various initiatives involving an injection of RM7 billion," he announced.

The Bill was passed unanimously and now moves on to the committee stage.(TheMalaysianinsider)

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Najib - RMAF pilots had tested Eurocopter at Lima

KUALA LUMPUR - Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi admitted he had made an error when he spoke of the package price of the much-disputed Eurocopter helicopter deal and which had caused an uproar among Opposition lawmakers in Parliament.

Abdullah who is also the Defence Minister said he was informed by officials in the Defence Ministry this morning on his slip.

The correct figure is RM1.604 billion, but he had thought it was RM1.67 billion and had rounded it up to RM1.7 billion.

"I apologise for my mistake," he said.

Asked to respond to the opposition's calls for him to explain the price discrepancy inside the Dewan Rakyat, Abdullah said it was unnecessary as he had already announced that the deal would be deferred to a later date.

He pointed out that the price would be renegotiated again as and when the government finally decides to purchase the helicopters.

"This is academic," he said.

Speaking at the same press conference, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak also denied claims that no physical evaluation was conducted on Eurocopter aircraft.

Najib who until last month held the Minister of Defence portfolio emphasised that the Eurocopter EC725 Cougar was not a new or 'experimental' aircraft. He noted that many countries had tested it out, including in combat in Afghanistan.

He said that Royal Malaysian Air Force pilots had tested it in local flight at the Langkawi International Marine Aerospace (Lima) show previously.

Asked to comment on calls by the Opposition for an independent expert panel to evaluate the procurement process, Najib said: "They are making too much a big deal out of it." (The Malaysianinsider)


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Eurocopter deal still ON

PETALING JAYA: Negotiations to purchase 12 Eurocopter helicopters for the RMAF are still on, sources said.

When contacted yesterday, a source said high-level officials of the Defence Ministry had not received any instruction from the Government to cancel the programme.

Another source said no decision had been made on the matter yet.

They were commenting on a news report published on an Internet news portal which claimed that Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had decided to cancel the purchase of the helicopters.

The Government had recently announced the purchase of 12 Cougar EC725 helicopters from the European firm to replace the ageing Nuris at a cost of RM2.3bil.

Najib had said last week that the Cabinet had given the Public Accounts Committee the green light to investigate the procurement process of the helicopters.

Najib, who is also the former Defence Minister, had suggested that the PAC investigate the matter.

PAC chairman Datuk Azmi Khalid had said that the committee would scrutinise the details leading to the purchase of the new helicopters during a two-day meeting starting tomorrow.

Among those who would be called in to assist the PAC is Defence Ministry secretary-general Datuk Abu Bakar Abdullah.

Dzirhan Mahadzir, a correspondent of Jane’s Defence Weekly, said the helicopter purchase programme was still at the negotiation stage between the Government and Eurocopter after the Letter of Intent (LOI) had been issued.

Dzirhan said the LOI meant that the negotiations would still be subject to pre-conditions before the final selection is made and a Letter of Award (LOA) given later on.

He added that the LOI would enable the Government and the vendor to plan and negotiate the best offer that could be worked out before the LOA is handed over.

“It will be more appropriate if a postponement is announced if the Government finds that it cannot make the deal due to external factors such as the national economic condition.

“But it will be odd if the deal is called off now, because everyone will have to go back to square one and make a new tender. There’s a lot of speculation in the news report about the cancellation if you ask me,” he added. (TheStar)

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UMNO polls will not be reverted to December - PM

BEIJING(24Oct): The Umno party polls will be held in March next year as scheduled and not reverted to December, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

“We already have the transition plan and it will be in March next year,” he told reporters on Thursday when asked if the Umno general assembly would be brought to December.

It is learnt that some Umno divisions are against the party’s Supreme Council decision to postpone the general assembly to March.

Abdullah, who earlier launched Khazanah Nasional’s Beijing representative office here, arrived on Wednesday to attend the two-day Seventh Asia-Europe Meeting (Asem).

Abdullah’s official programme includes the Asean Leaders’ Working Dinner and Asean Plus Three Leaders’ Breakfast Meeting on the Financial Crisis.

Abdullah will hold talks with Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, Cypriot President Demetris Christofias and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.

Established in 1996, Asem is an informal process of dialogue and cooperation between its 45 members, comprising the 10 Asean member nations, China, Japan, South Korea, India, Mongolia, Pakistan, and European Union members.

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Najib - UMNO chiefs will meet to discuss possible election in December

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 23 - A confrontation is looming in Umno over the issue of Malaysia's leadership transition.

In a sign that there has been no let-up in backroom efforts to push out Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi earlier than March, his deputy, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, has said Umno chiefs will meet next Thursday to discuss bringing back the party's internal elections to December.

"We will answer all these questions on the 30th. For now, there is no change to the date (of the Umno elections)," he said on Tuesday.

He was asked by reporters whether the internal polls, which two weeks ago were delayed from December to March, would be brought back to the earlier date.

The decision-making Umno Supreme Council will meet next Thursday for its regular monthly meeting, and Najib was the first to say the issue of the December polls would be discussed.

His comments clashed with Abdullah's wish to be in power until March.

When told last Saturday that Umno vice-president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin wanted the polls to be held in December, a visibly upset Abdullah said: "What is the meaning of all this? I am not happy with this. Is he trying to stop me from making reforms?"

Party chiefs, including Najib, had concurred with the Premier that he should be allowed to retire at the end of March.

But the deal caused unhappiness among the grassroots because it meant the period to campaign for top posts would drag on for three more months, instead of ending by Dec18, the original date of the triennial polls.

Added to this is anxiety in the Najib camp following a string of accusations against the PM-in-waiting.

Political analyst Yahaya Ismail said: "Abdullah was given 'injury time' to March to quit, but there are worries whether Umno will be stable with these accusations against Najib."

Two weeks ago, a website accused Najib of sending many text messages to the lawyer of Razak Baginda, his former adviser who is accused of abetting the murder of a Mongolian interpreter.

Najib was then accused of pushing a RM2.3 billion deal to buy new helicopters for the Defence Ministry just before he passed the position to Abdullah.

This was followed by a website's accusations of alleged past scandals. Also being circulated online were doctored pictures of him practising Hindu rites.

This week, a fake manifesto tried to portray him as an intolerant leader who would defend Malay rights to the "last drop" of his blood.

Najib, who has strenously denied the allegations against him in the manifesto, which was published by Malaysiakini, said yesterday he had accepted the apology given by the news website.

The group of leaders agitating to push Abdullah out earlier know they must carry the Umno ground along. So they are couching the power grab by saying that delaying the polls would drain money and energy.

A proposal has been put forward that Abdullah may remain as Premier until March, even though party polls are held in December.

"They say he could hang on. But once you have a new Umno president in December, Abdullah will not have the moral authority to stay around," said a Supreme Council member.

Muhyiddin is among those publicly in favour of a December poll date, leading Abdullah to accuse him of being "impatient to become the deputy prime minister".

Muhyiddin is the front runner to be Umno's new deputy president, and thus deputy PM. Supporting the Trade and Industry Minister is de facto Islamic Affairs Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, a front runner in the
vice-president contest.

Backing them is former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, a bitter critic of Abdullah.

Dr Mahathir said soon after the March deal was announced that it was better for Abdullah to step down immediately as he must give Najib full authority to rehabilitate Umno.

But there is no guarantee that come next Thursday, the 40 Supreme Council chiefs will agree to bring the date for party polls forward because supporters say Abdullah will not budge.

Still, the flip-flops are a strain for some observers.

"I hope they can put aside politics and put people first. Many people are struggling with high costs, and now there is the global economic crisis," said political science lecturer Mohammad Agus Yusoff of the National
University of Malaysia. - The Straits Times

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Pak Lah lashes out at Mahathir

KUALA LUMPUR: It was during his last stop on a lightning visit to Kota Kinabalu late Saturday night (18 Oct) that Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi finally gave voice to his thoughts about his resurgent predecessor.

He lambasted Dr Mahathir Mohamad in the strongest words.

"Who is he? He has left Umno (United Malays National Organisation) but he still issues orders to members of Umno. The party does not need to take orders from anyone who is no longer a member of the party," Abdullah was quoted as saying by the New Sunday Times.

He accused Dr Mahathir of behaving like a party elections director, and of trying to create a rift by inciting anger and hatred, after his predecessor urged Umno to get rid of his "toadies".

Dr Mahathir had written in his blog that Umno should vote out those who supported Abdullah.

To this, the Prime Minister said: "What is wrong with people who work with me? He is trying to teach people to hate one another."

He said it would be better for Dr Mahathir not to "speak at all today".

Their rivalry, which had intensified over the past four years as the former premier tried to topple Abdullah, has reached new heights.

The Prime Minister's outburst comes in the wake of speculation that Dr Mahathir played a pivotal role in forcing his early retirement, and that the former premier is poised to become a powerful influence over deputy prime minister Najib Razak, who is slated to succeed Abdullah by March next year.

It is no secret that Dr Mahathir pushed Najib and international trade and industry minister Muhyiddin Yassin to take an active role in persuading Abdullah to bring forward his retirement, originally planned for June 2010.

Najib and Muhyiddin are now the front runners to win the Umno presidency and deputy presidency and, by extension, Malaysia's premiership and deputy premiership. Both have easily garnered the minimum number of nominations needed to contest the party positions.

Dr Mahathir's son, Mukhriz Mahathir, is also far ahead of Abdullah's son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin in the race for nominations for the Umno Youth presidency.

This has sparked speculation about the return of 'Mahathirism', with many bloggers noting Najib's purported loyalty to the former premier. Dr Mahathir himself has dismissed the notion that he would be a 'de facto' prime minister.

Najib's supporters are also keen to dismiss the idea, knowing the old ways might not sit well with voters. They note that the deputy premier acted quickly to dispel the impression that a new set of young advisers was emerging to replace Abdullah's hugely unpopular team.

The Prime Minister has also lashed out at Muhyiddin, who called for the Umno elections to be brought forward to December from March, saying a longer campaign would distract the government.

"Is he so impatient to become the deputy prime minister? That is, if he gets the support," said Abdullah. 'What is the meaning of all this? I am not happy with this. Is he trying to stop me from making reforms?'

He added that Muhyiddin seemed to be trying to get him to hand over power in December.

Muhyiddin has since clarified that he merely wanted the Umno election to be held earlier, while a transition of power at the national level could take place in March. But observers wonder if he is trying to start a groundswell for an earlier retirement date for Mr Abdullah after successfully starting the push for him to abandon his June 2010 plan.

This latest bout of squabbling shows that Umno, while more stable now than in the early months after the 8 March polls, is still mired in internal politicking.

Najib has not commented on the developments, but in his blog on Saturday, he said Umno members should remember that the party election was just the start of the real work to revive Umno's fortunes. "In fact, this is what should be in the minds of Umno delegates when choosing the individuals who will occupy positions of leadership at all levels of the party hierarchy," he wrote. (By CAROLYN HONG/ The Straits Times/ ANN)

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Hindraf call to PM to revoke illegal order by Home Minister

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 16 — Banning Hindraf will not banish the groundswell of emotion, says its chairman P. Waytha Moorthy.

In a press statement, the organisation’s leader-in-exile said that “declaring Hindraf as an illegal organisation will in any case not banish the spirit that created Hindraf” and called on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi “to advise his Home Minister to revoke the order.”

“Hindraf represents a very deep feeling experienced in the hearts and souls of millions of Indians both locally and internationally,” he claimed.

Yesterday, Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar announced the outlawing of the movement, saying Hindraf would continue to pose a threat to public order, the security and sovereignty of the country as well as the prevailing racial harmony.

“The decision to declare Hindraf an illegal organisation is not based on one or two of its activities that are in contravention of the law but covers all the actions it has taken since being formed,” he said.

Waytha Moorthy, who has been in exile in Britain since his fellow leaders, the “Hindraf 5”, were detained under the Internal Security Act, called the decision “dastardly and ludicrous”.

He added it showed the government is at its wit’s end and that “Malaysia is indeed a police state under the pretext of democracy" as it has used the ISA, Sedition Act and now the Societies Act to silence a “legitimate voice of democracy”.

“The Umno-led government enjoys demonising and bullying us on the pretext of law, public order and national security when all we are fighting for is to address the true and real condition of the downtrodden Malaysian Indians who have been systematically marginalised, suppressed and oppressed,” he stated in the e-mail.

“Hindraf represents the Indian commoner, the hard working oily-faced man who is made fun of in the streets, the man who people step on, the man who walks past you yet you notice him not.”

This current saga has developed against the background of Hindraf’s presence at the Cabinet Hari Raya open house, where over 200 supporters attended to beseech Abdullah to free the Hindraf 5.

On Tuesday, three other Hindraf leaders — S. Jayathas, K. Selvam and K. Shanti, Waytha Moorthy’s wife — were requested to present themselves at the Dang Wangi district police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur to have their statements on the incident recorded.

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Public mega projects would be reviewed - PM

UALA LUMPUR, Oct 15 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi said certain major government projects, including those in the economic corridors, may be reviewed due to the global financial crisis.

He did not name any of the projects facing a review.

“Decisions have been made to continue with certain projects, but for projects that are yet to commence, action may be taken to postpone them, if necessary, but only the big projects,” Abdullah told reporters today.

He added that the review includes the various economic corridors throughout the country.

Abdullah also said the government will introduce certain measures to mitigate the affect of the global financial crisis. He insisted that the Malaysian economy remains strong.

On the announcement to reduce pump prices today, he said that the government needs to be responsive to fluctuating oil prices.

He said that the business community and the consumers should also be able to adapt to the situation.

He hoped that the price of consumer goods would reflect the oil price reduction.

“Don’t just expect the government to do everything, consumers have a big role to play,” he said adding that he was not trying to urge consumers to boycott certain products.

“I’m sure the prices will go down, they don’t have to wait for the government to act. We will act where it is possible,” he added.

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Pak Lah defended Najib innocent over Altantuya's case

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 13 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today defended his designated successor Datuk Seri Najib Razak against renewed allegations about the latter’s involvement in the murder of a Mongolian woman in 2006.

"I cannot believe Datuk Seri Najib will want to abuse power," said Abdullah when asked to comment on the allegations which surfaced over the weekend on the Malaysia Today website.

Malaysia Today carried a report detailing what it alleged was an exchange of text messages between Najib and Datuk Shafee Abdullah, the prominent lawyer who represented Abdul Razak Baginda, the close associate of Najib who was eventually charged with abetting two police officers in the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu in 2006.

In one SMS, Najib allegedly tells the lawyer that Razak — his advisor — "will face a tentative charge but all is not lost."

Malaysia Today said that this message raises some questions about Najib's role in the case. "Why did he mention 'tentative' charge and that 'all is not lost' for RB (Razak Baginda)? How would Najib know this before Razak was charged? These are important questions which will have ramifications, not just on this case but far beyond," a posting on the website said.

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the opposition have tried to link Najib and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor with the murder since it happened in October 2006.

Today, Abdullah backed the deputy prime minister against the latest allegations.

"I believe in him, that he would be a good person," said the Prime Minister.

"He will be Prime Minister and provide leadership."

Since Abdullah announce his decision to not defend the Umno presidency, tremendous momentum has built up for Najib to take over as party president next March and also as Prime Minister if the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition remains in power.

But in the past week the political pressures on Najib have mounted.

Besides the allegations surrounding his involvement in the 2006 murder, he is also being linked with a return to "Mahathirism."

His critics have accused him of being a "puppet" of former hardline Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, with some observers expecting a more authoritarian system of government with tighter controls.


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Zahid withdraw from contesting for deputy presidency

Umno supreme council member Datuk Ahmad Zahidi will drop out of the race for the party's deputy presidency.

Sources said the 55-year-old minister will step aside in favour of party vice-president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who has yet to announce his candidacy.

"It looks like the status quo want a Najib-Muhyiddin team. So Ahmad Zahid will make way," an Umno source told The Malaysian Insider, referring to Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak's expected bid to succeed Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as party president.

Abdullah announced yesterday he will not defend his post and will step down as premier next March, making him the shortest-serving Malaysian prime minister.

Ahmad Zahid was the first to announce a tilt for the post and he was quickly followed by Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ali Rustam and Pulai MP Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed.

"The party warlords don't want a contest for the top two posts as they want to consolidate and project unity to regain support," another source said.

He expected Ali and Nur Jazlan to also scrap their bids in the coming days with some of them shifting their attention for any of the three vice-presidency slots.

Among those expected to contest the vice-presidency are Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, the current Umno Youth chief and a cousin of Najib.

Nominations will begin tomorrow when Kimanis and Machang Umno divisions meet, starting the month-long period for divisional meetings.

Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah has said he will contest the presidency but Umno officials do not expect him to get the 58 nominations to be a candidate.


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Pak Lah gracefully forced out - BBC

Abdullah Badawi said he had not been forced out.

When I asked him if he regretted being pushed, he gestured to the man sitting beside him, his deputy and heir Najib Razak, and to the other politicians around him from the ruling coalition.

He said: "Ask them if they have forced me out." A few shook their heads but Malaysia's fifth prime minister is not leaving office in March 2009 because he wants to. He is leaving because he has to.

There are still a few months to go but the epitaph will not be kind.

"He was weak, he was reluctant to do things which he should've done," says Chandra Muzaffar, a political analyst and academic.

After promising so much in 2004 when he secured a record victory at the polls, Dr Muzaffar believes Abdullah Badawi squandered a mandate for reform because he could not deliver.

"There is, I think, a personality factor at play - the reluctance on his part to antagonise people, to do things which a reform-minded prime minister will have to," he says.

'Power first'

The man who is almost certain to succeed him has been groomed for the job from the day he was born.

"The government under Najib will be ruthless"
Anwar Ibrahim
opposition leader

Najib Razak is the son of Malaysia's second prime minister. He has been in parliament since his early 20s.

"People expect him to be tougher," opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim told the BBC.

"The government under Najib will be ruthless."
He believes that little will change come next year when the handover takes place.

"Nothing is resolved, he is surrendering to a person who is badly tarnished," he told me.

That is a reference to sensational claims that the deputy prime minister was involved in the murder of a woman.

Najib Razak has strongly denied the allegation.

One of his closest advisors is on trial for the killing.

In an interview with the BBC last August, he did admit that there had been questions about his reputation but said: "I think I have cleared my name... my conscience is clear."

There are those who see this British-educated economist as the insider who can bring about change.

"Najib knows that if Umno [the United Malays National Organisation] and the Barisan Nasional [National Front] don't change, in the short term, they will be in deep trouble," says political analyst Dr Muzaffar.

But he believes that he will not promise a raft of radical reform, like the changes Abdullah Badawi promised for the judiciary and the corruption agency, adding:

"What impels him to bring about change is not so much a commitment to reform as a commitment to power."

Fatal slip

The reason Abdullah Badawi is going is because he came close to losing power.

In Malaysia's 51-year history that has never happened.

The same side has been in charge from Day One.

The country had continued its impressive economic growth under his watch.

But divisions which have haunted this multi-racial and multi-religious nation at times bubbled to the surface once more.

When his second general election as leader came around earlier this year, the people punished him.

Malaysia's minority Chinese and Indians deserted the government in droves. The prime minister was humiliated. The Barisan Nasional won but with a much reduced majority. Support for the opposition swelled to unprecedented levels.

In the days and weeks after the result, Abdullah Badawi faced down his critics.

Then came the first sign of mounting dissent in the ranks.

He agreed to hand over to his number two in 2010. That failed to allay the fears of those who thought the government was doomed unless it changed leader and direction.

So after months of in-fighting he is going, much earlier than he said he planned to go.

"In all my years of service, I've always been guided by my conscience - I've always placed the interests of the nation above all," Abdullah Badawi said as he announced his decision.

"It is with this in mind that I announce I will not be standing... in the coming party elections."

He said he was going to ensure unity.

End of the road

Unity is a crucial theme in Malaysia. This is a country of different races, different religions, with people of vastly differing wealth. For 51 years it has remained mostly stable and peaceful, but fundamental problems remain.

The increasing role of Islam, the religion of the Malay majority, worries the country's 35% non-Muslims.

A decades-old economic policy which gives preferential treatment to Malays still causes bitterness and anger. Malays can jump the queue for university places, government jobs and housing.

Abdullah Badawi's reign will stretch to almost six years by the time he steps down but he may be remembered most for events in the final months.

With an invigorated opposition threatening to take power, the prime minister and his government resorted to desperate acts.

An opposition member of parliament, a journalist and a prominent blogger were arrested and detained under strict security laws. They were deemed a threat to national security.

Anwar Ibrahim is facing a trail for sodomy, an accusation many believe is fabricated and politically motivated.

Malaysia is at a "historic crossroads" the prime minister said as he announced his departure.

"We must reform and mature," he added.

Now that responsibility will fall to someone else. The era of the man known affectionately as Pak Lah, meaning Uncle, is almost over.

By Robin Brant
BBC News, Kuala Lumpur

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Pak Lah won't defend his post despite surging support

A frenzy of meetings in his office yesterday, a chain SMS and support from an unlikely source have convinced many people that Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will change his mind and signal his intention to defend his party president's position.

Such is the speculation that even Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's camp sent out feelers to find out if Abdullah had a change of heart about stepping down as party president and prime minister in March, as prescribed by a transition plan.

A few corporate captains, who have been moving closer to Najib since the transition plan was endorsed a fortnight ago, also sought to hedge their bets by touching base with those in Abdullah's circle.

The Malaysian Insider has learnt that Abdullah is still going to announce that he will not defend his position after briefing the Cabinet and Barisan Nasional Supreme Council.

He feels that the support that he has received in the last few days and reports from the ground confirm what he has suspected - that the "groundswell'' against him was manufactured by senior party leaders.

But he has told aides and party officials that a battle for the top position will leave Umno badly scarred and in a weak position to fight off the Opposition challenge.

Yesterday, there was intense pressure on him to contest the top post in Umno.

An uninterrupted stream of visitors - including Umno division chiefs, party operatives and his staunch supporters - met him at his office in Putrajaya to persuade him to stay on, arguing that he would be able to get the 58 nominations to defend the president's position and have a good chance of defeating Najib or any other challenger.

Some of them were motivated by self-interest, fearing that his retirement would mean the loss of a benefactor and protector in the Umno election season. Others were troubled by the manner the transition plan was cobbled together by Najib and others on the supreme council and the willingness by some party officials to blame Abdullah for everything that has gone wrong with Umno and Barisan Nasional.

A text message has been going around urging his supporters to gather outside his official residence at 8am to provide him with moral support as he heads off for his weekly meeting with his ministers. It noted that Abdullah’s hesitance to commit to any decision despite being pressed by reporters on Monday and Tuesday was a sign that he was staying on.

Adding more fuel to speculation was a statement by the Kuala Kedah division Datuk Seri Syed Razak Syed Zain that his division intended to nominate Abdullah and Najib for the top two positions in the party.

He added that if Abdullah decided not to contest, he would leave it to the delegates to decide who to nominate. This was a factual and purely innocent statement which was interpreted by political pundits as an indication that Abdullah had informed divisions that he would accept nominations.

Sources told The Malaysian Insider that Abdullah made up his mind not to contest last Friday after seeking the counsel of his closest aides, friends and supporters. He did not give reasons why he accepted the March transition plan but seemed determined not to be remembered as the man who destroyed the party for his own interest.

That view is likely to hold sway over any other emotions and arguments today.


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