Malaysia PM in deeper crisis as 2 Cabinet ministers seek leadership reforms - AP

By Julia Zappei, AP

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - Two Cabinet ministers have endorsed demands by ruling party dissidents to hold an open contest for the party leadership, highlighting the prime minister's weakening control over power in Malaysia after disastrous election results.

The Star daily Monday quoted International Trade Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and Higher Education Minister Khaled Nordin as saying that everybody should be eligible to run for the post of the United Malays National Organization party's president.

At present, a contestant must be nominated by 30 percent of the party's divisions, which is hard to secure by someone not endorsed by the party leadership. The party president automatically becomes the prime minister.

The nomination quota encourages an "unhealthy political culture," Muhyiddin, who is the party vice president, was quoted as saying.

"I hope that with the abolition, the party at all levels will have a healthy democratic election system," the daily quoted Muhyiddin as saying.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is facing the biggest crisis of his political career after the March 8 general elections, in which the ruling National Front retained power but lost its traditional two-thirds majority. It also conceded five states to the opposition.

[More at http://news.aol.com/story/_a/malaysia-pm-in-deeper-crisis-as-2/n20080331000609990005]