KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (CNN) -- An era has ended in Malaysia with the formal departure from office of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad after 22 years in power.
Mahathir's deputy and carefully groomed successor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was formally sworn in at a somber ceremony Friday afternoon at the royal palace in Kuala Lumpur.
Ending his last day in power Mahathir, known to millions simply as Dr M, clocked out of office for the last time from the new Putrajaya administrative capital -- one of many so-called mega projects that he personally oversaw.
Abdullah, who becomes Malaysia's fifth prime minister since independence in 1957, signed the instruments of office in the presence of Malaysia's King Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin.
Wearing traditional Malay dress Abdullah pledged to "fulfill the obligations of this position honestly and with all my energy."
[More at http://edition.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/asiapcf/southeast/10/31/mahathir.retire/index.html]
Friday, October 31, 2003
Mahathir bows out as Malaysia's PM - CNN
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