Malaysian row between king and PM deepens over choice of state chief minister - AP

By Julia Zappei

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - A renegade lawmaker from the ruling party and backed by Malaysia's king took office Tuesday as the head of a northeastern state, openly defying the prime minister who wanted someone else for the job.

Hours before Ahmad Said arrived at his office in Kuala Terengganu, the capital of Terengganu state, for his first day of work, he smiled at reporters and said he was fully aware he "may not last long."

The dispute in Terengganu is the first time Malaysia's constitutional monarchy has got embroiled in a public spat with the executive, and adds to the headaches for Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as he fights for his political survival.

Abdullah's National Front coalition suffered heavy losses in the March 8 general elections, holding on to power but losing its traditional two-thirds parliamentary majority and five of 13 states. It also lost elections in five states, though Terengganu was one of the states where it won comfortably.

The victory turned sour, however, when Malaysia's current king, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, rejected Abdullah's candidate for the chief minister, instead appointing Ahmad, another ruling party lawmaker, over the weekend.

It is not clear how long Ahmad can stay in office because Abdullah's United Malays National Organization, the main party in the National Front, has vowed to expel him. Also, UMNO lawmakers in the state legislators have said they will pass a no-confidence motion against Ahmad as soon as the legislature convenes.

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