Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi took the oath of office for a new five-year term yesterday, rejecting calls to resign after unprecedented electoral setbacks wiped out the ruling coalition's two-thirds majority and shook the political landscape and the stock market.
Abdullah was sworn in at a simple, nationally broadcast ceremony in front of the constitutional monarch, King Mizan Zainal Abidin, and dozens of dignitaries in the national palace's glittering throne room.
"I pledge to carry out my duties honestly and with all my abilities," Abdullah said, reading out the oath. "I pledge to protect and uphold the Constitution."
He smiled occasionally and mingled with guests after the ceremony, belying the stress of the last two days when he was confronted with the biggest political crisis of his life.
His National Front ruling coalition secured a fresh mandate in Saturday's general elections, but lost its two-thirds parliamentary majority and relinquished control of five of the 13 states to opposition parties.
The opposition alliance now has 82 seats in the 222 member parliament, a massive jump from its 19 seats in the outgoing house.
Abdullah got a much-needed vote of support from his United Malays National Organization to stay on as both party president and prime minister at a special meeting of the party yesterday, despite calls from former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad to quit.
But he has an enormous task ahead in holding together his battered coalition and filling holes in his Cabinet -- four ministers lost seats in the weekend election, including Works Minister S. Samy Vellu, the head of the main Indian party in the coalition.
A key partner, the Malaysian Chinese Association, dismissed speculation that it might pull out of the coalition.
Sources close to Abdullah said he had canceled plans to attend next week's Organization of the Islamic Conference summit in Senegal -- he was to hand over chairmanship of the 57-member grouping -- to deal with the crisis at home.
"A two-party system seems likely to evolve from the outcome of this general election," wrote Wong Chun Wai, the editor of the pro-government Star daily, in his newspaper yesterday.
Also see: Asia stocks fall on reports of dip in US employment
DEFENDING DEMOCRACY: Taiwan shares the same values as those that fought in WWII, and nations must unite to halt the expansion of a new authoritarian bloc, Lai said The government yesterday held a commemoration ceremony for Victory in Europe (V-E) Day, joining the rest of the world for the first time to mark the anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. Taiwan honoring V-E Day signifies “our growing connections with the international community,” President William Lai (賴清德) said at a reception in Taipei on the 80th anniversary of V-E Day. One of the major lessons of World War II is that “authoritarianism and aggression lead only to slaughter, tragedy and greater inequality,” Lai said. Even more importantly, the war also taught people that “those who cherish peace cannot
Taiwanese Olympic badminton men’s doubles gold medalist Wang Chi-lin (王齊麟) and his new partner, Chiu Hsiang-chieh (邱相榤), clinched the men’s doubles title at the Yonex Taipei Open yesterday, becoming the second Taiwanese team to win a title in the tournament. Ranked 19th in the world, the Taiwanese duo defeated Kang Min-hyuk and Ki Dong-ju of South Korea 21-18, 21-15 in a pulsating 43-minute final to clinch their first doubles title after teaming up last year. Wang, the men’s doubles gold medalist at the 2020 and 2024 Olympics, partnered with Chiu in August last year after the retirement of his teammate Lee Yang
The Philippines yesterday criticized a “high-risk” maneuver by a Chinese vessel near the disputed Scarborough Shoal (Huangyan Island, 黃岩島) in a rare incident involving warships from the two navies. The Scarborough Shoal — a triangular chain of reefs and rocks in the contested South China Sea — has been a flash point between the countries since China seized it from the Philippines in 2012. Taiwan also claims the shoal. Monday’s encounter took place approximately 11.8 nautical miles (22km) southeast” of the Scarborough Shoal, the Philippine military said, during ongoing US-Philippine military exercises that Beijing has criticized as destabilizing. “The Chinese frigate BN 554 was
The number of births in Taiwan fell to an all-time monthly low last month, while the population declined for the 16th consecutive month, Ministry of the Interior data released on Friday showed. The number of newborns totaled 8,684, which is 704 births fewer than in March and the lowest monthly figure on record, the ministry said. That is equivalent to roughly one baby born every five minutes and an annual crude birthrate of 4.52 per 1,000 people, the ministry added. Meanwhile, 17,205 deaths were recorded, resulting in a natural population decrease of 8,521, the data showed. More people are also leaving Taiwan, with net
RSS