Malaysia's new prime minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, made an emotional maiden speech to parliament as leader yesterday, vowing no let-up in the war on terror and promising to tackle corruption.
Abdullah, who an aide said would take over the finance portfolio, said he would stick to the policies of his predecessors and would make the country more attractive to foreign investors.
PHOTO: REUTERS
"I assure that I will continue with the policies that have been laid out by the leaders who came before me," Abdullah, who took over on Friday from veteran leader Mahathir Mohamad, told parliament.
The new premier, who was overcome by emotion as he ended his speech, said he would be tough on security and law and order.
"We cannot compromise when dealing with the threat posed by extremism, terrorism and militancy," said Abdullah, a veteran of an old anti-communist psychological warfare department. "Attempts to undermine national security and public order must be dealt with firmly."
There have been no militant attacks in mostly Muslim Malaysia during the global terrorism alert that followed the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the US.
But several Malaysians joined Jemaah Islamiah, a Southeast Asian offshoot of Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda group, which has been accused of masterminding bombings on the tourist island of Bali a year ago and on a Jakarta hotel in August.
During the past two years, Abdullah -- as interior minister -- has signed almost 90 detention orders allowing police to hold militant suspects without trial.
Prime ministerial aides said Abdullah would take over the finance ministry portfolio previously held by Mahathir, and he was retaining Mahathir's economic adviser, Nor Mohamed Yakcop.
Nor Mohamed helped map out banking reform and corporate debt restructuring and advised Mahathir on the establishment of the ringgit currency peg during the Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s.
Investors have been looking forward to the new leadership but the stock market slipped slightly on profit-taking yesterday after hitting a 38-month high on Friday.
The key stock index was down 0.67 percent at 811.66 points by midday yesterday. The index has gained about 26 percent this year.
The handover of power has gone smoothly, but Abdullah now has the hard job of consolidating his premiership while satisfying the ambitions of competing second-tier leaders in the ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO).
"The market is on the watch for a smooth succession. [Abdullah] Badawi is in now, but can he hold the coalition and his own party together?" asked an analyst at a foreign brokerage.
Abdullah is likely to hold the finance portfolio only for the time being and is seen appointing a new finance minister after elections expected early next year, according to sources close to the leadership.
But he could announce his choice of deputy premier in December, after the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. Although he has given no hint, sources say Defense Minister Najib Razak is favorite for the job.
Najib's late father, Abdul Razak, was Malaysia's second prime minister from 1970 to 1976.
By convention, the deputy prime minister is one of the three vice presidents of UMNO, which has led all of Malaysia's multi-ethnic coalitions since independence from Britain in 1957.
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