Malaysian Prime Minister Abdul-lah Ahmad Badawi yesterday won the ruling party's full support in his continuing political duel with former leader Mahathir Mohamad that had raised fears of government instability.
The supreme council of the United Malays National Organization party, "with one voice decided to fully support Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as the prime minister and president of UMNO," Deputy Prime Minster Najib Razak told reporters.
Speaking after a council meeting, Najib said the support was voiced by national and state level leaders in recognition of the "strong mandate given by people" to Abdullah in the last general elections in 2004.
"There is no faction in UMNO," he told the news conference with Abdullah sitting by his side. "If there are any criticism that come up from Dr Mahathir or any other leader then we must explain objectively, factually and politely."
The UMNO decision gives Abdullah a moral victory and some breathing space in facing acerbic and personal attacks from Mahathir in recent months.
Mahathir, who handed power to Abdullah in 2003, triggered fears of a split within UMNO, which leads Malaysia's coalition government of multiethnic parties, after he accused his successor earlier this month of reversing his policies and betraying his trust.
Mahathir's main grouse is over the government's decision to halt several mega infrastructure projects including a bridge to Singapore. Grand projects were the hallmark of Mahathir's 22-year rule, but Abdullah's administration says it needs to refocus the direction of the economy in the 9th Malaysia Plan, a five-year development strategy unveiled earlier this year.
The political squabble has shocked many Malaysians and created a sense of unease given Mahathir's stature -- he was awarded the country's highest civilian honorific title of "Tun" after retirement.
Najib said Abdullah's election victory was a trust given by the people to the ruling party and that Abdullah will honor that trust.
"The government has the right to make any decision or policy based on prevailing situations," he said.
The government has said that it will give thorough explanations of its actions as demanded by Mahathir on why the Singapore bridge project was scrapped and why national car company Proton sold a loss-making Italian motorcycle unit.
Abdullah did not talk at the news conference about the UMNO support, but answered one question on what he would do if Mahathir remained unsatisfied with the government's explanations.
"We leave it as it is. We will give the best explanation that we can. If anyone is not happy including Tun what can we do? But we will give the fullest explanation for any issues that arise," he said.
‘IN A DIFFERENT PLACE’: The envoy first visited Shanghai, where he attended a Chinese basketball playoff match, and is to meet top officials in Beijing tomorrow US Secretary of State Antony Blinken yesterday arrived in China on his second visit in a year as the US ramps up pressure on its rival over its support for Russia while also seeking to manage tensions with Beijing. The US diplomat tomorrow is to meet China’s top brass in Beijing, where he is also expected to plead for restraint as Taiwan inaugurates president-elect William Lai (賴清德), and to raise US concerns on Chinese trade practices. However, Blinken is also seeking to stabilize ties, with tensions between the world’s two largest economies easing since his previous visit in June last year. At the
UNSETTLING IMAGES: The scene took place in front of TV crews covering the Trump trial, with a CNN anchor calling it an ‘emotional and unbelievably disturbing moment’ A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former US president Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said yesterday. The New York City Police Department (NYPD) said the man was declared dead by staff at an area hospital. The man was in Collect Pond Park at about 1:30pm on Friday when he took out pamphlets espousing conspiracy theories, tossed them around, then doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire, officials and witnesses said. A large number of police officers were nearby when it happened. Some officers and bystanders rushed
Beijing is continuing to commit genocide and crimes against humanity against Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in its western Xinjiang province, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a report published on Monday, ahead of his planned visit to China this week. The State Department’s annual human rights report, which documents abuses recorded all over the world during the previous calendar year, repeated language from previous years on the treatment of Muslims in Xinjiang, but the publication raises the issue ahead of delicate talks, including on the war in Ukraine and global trade, between the top U.S. diplomat and Chinese
RIVER TRAGEDY: Local fishers and residents helped rescue people after the vessel capsized, while motorbike taxis evacuated some of the injured At least 58 people going to a funeral died after their overloaded river boat capsized in the Central African Republic’s (CAR) capital, Bangui, the head of civil protection said on Saturday. “We were able to extract 58 lifeless bodies,” Thomas Djimasse told Radio Guira. “We don’t know the total number of people who are underwater. According to witnesses and videos on social media, the wooden boat was carrying more than 300 people — some standing and others perched on wooden structures — when it sank on the Mpoko River on Friday. The vessel was heading to the funeral of a village chief in