Malaysia’s prime minister announced yesterday that he would resign on Thursday and hand over the government to his deputy, completing a power transition one year in the making after the ruling coalition’s shock drubbing in general elections.
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi gave up the presidency of the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) party, the party that leads the ruling National Front coalition, to Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak.
In keeping with tradition, the party chief also becomes the prime minister.
“I wish to retire with a feeling of peace. I want to carry no negative emotions with me,” Abdullah said, choking with emotion in a speech to wrap up the annual party congress.
“I believe the new leadership lineup will bring the desired change and strengthen our party to return it to the people’s hearts,” he said, liberally quoting from the Koran in a 30-minute speech.
Abdullah said he would meet the Malaysian king, who is the constitutional monarch, on Thursday to convey “my intention to relinquish my responsibility as the prime minister of Malaysia.” He said a ceremony to hand over the reins of the government to be Najib would be held later but gave no date.
It has been widely speculated in the local media that Najib would take office on Friday.
The five-day UMNO congress elected top office bearers, most of them allies of Najib, who will find places in his Cabinet. But the debates and speeches also became a virtual soul-searching for the party to pinpoint the reasons for its plunging popularity.
They acknowledged what many Malaysians have been saying: UMNO is a party of corrupt and power-hungry politicians. The party is also accused of subverting the judiciary, the police force, the bureaucracy and discriminating against the Chinese and Indian minorities.
Abdullah, in his opening address to the congress on Tuesday, also gave a frank assessment: The party had become drunk with power and believed it could remain popular by suppressing dissent, jailing opponents and discriminating against minorities.
“We must come to our senses,” Abdullah had warned. “UMNO faces a life and death situation — one that concerns our future and survival.”
Meanwhile, former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad said yesterday he would rejoin UMNO, which he quit last year after falling out with his successor Abdullah.
Mahathir, who spent more than two decades in power, hand-picked Abdullah to replace him 2003 but was enraged by the new leader’s decision to dismantle several of his pet projects. Mahathir publicly campaigned for his ouster after disastrous elections a year ago.
“I will rejoin UMNO. When — I will tell you later,” Mahathir told reporters during a surprise visit to the closing session of the party’s five-day congress.
The veteran politician had snubbed the meeting this week, after his son Mukhriz Mahathir failed in his bid to become youth wing chief — an influential post won instead by Abdullah’s son-in-law.
Mahathir yesterday endorsed a landmark speech by Najib in which he outlined radical reforms to UMNO after the humiliating elections, when the opposition claimed five of the 13 states and a third of seats in parliament.
Mahathir also backed the election of Trade Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, an ally who will now be Najib’s deputy.
“Muhyiddin gives me the confidence that there will be changes,” he said.
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